- By Soumyaroop Mukherjee
- Fri, 05 Dec 2025 11:48 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Rajasthan High Court has issued a significant ruling on live-in relationships, stating that two consenting adults are entitled to be in a live-in relationship even if they have not reached the legal age for marriage. Justice Anoop Dhand delivered the judgment based on a plea for protection. The plea was filed by an 18-year-old woman and a 19-year-old man from Kota.
The couple told the court that they were living in Kota out of free will after executing a live-in agreement on October 27, 2025. However, the girl’s family is opposing this and has threatened to kill the couple. In response, the couple requested police protection. The court has ordered the Bhilwara and Jodhpur police to provide security for the couple.
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‘Should Not Be Permitted…’ Defence Argues
Prosecutor Vivek Choudhary, representing the government’s stance, argued on behalf of the counsel that the young man is not yet 21 years old, which makes him ineligible for marriage under existing law. On this basis, it was argued that the couple should also not be allowed to live together in a live-in relationship.
What Did The Court Reply?
The court dismissed the arguments of the prosecutor, Vivek Choudhary, saying that the right to personal liberty enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution cannot be denied to the couple just because they have not reached the permissible age of marriage.
"The state has a constitutional obligation to safeguard the life and liberty of every individual," the judge observed, adding that live-in relationships are not prohibited or criminalised under Indian law. Besides the ruling, Justice Dhand directed the superintendents of police of Bhilwara and Jodhpur (rural) to testify to the petitions filed by the couple, assess the threat perception, and ensure necessary protection to the couple if required.