Madras High Court Recognizes Maintenance Rights for Women in Live-in Relationships
- ByAdmin --
- 09 Mar 2025 --
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Thirty-year-old Radhika (name changed), a software engineer from Chennai, found herself in an unexpected legal battle. She had been in a live-in relationship with her partner for eight years, during which she had supported his business and put her own career on hold. When the relationship ended, she was left with nothing—no financial security, no legal standing.
But then came a game-changing ruling from the Madras High Court. Justice P. Natarajan ruled that women in live-in relationships have a right to seek maintenance under domestic violence laws, even if their relationship was not legally registered.
“The law must serve the realities of society,” Justice Natarajan said in his verdict. “If a woman has been in a long-term domestic relationship where she was financially dependent, she deserves protection.”
This judgment aligns Indian jurisprudence with global trends, where courts increasingly recognize the financial and emotional sacrifices made in long-term partnerships. Legal experts believe this ruling could influence future decisions across India, ensuring that live-in relationships are not dismissed as "casual arrangements" when it comes to financial support.
For women like Radhika, this ruling means justice. It means she can rebuild her life without being left destitute. And for India, it marks another step toward aligning laws with the complexities of modern relationships.
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