Live-in relationships covered under domestic violence Act: Kiren Rijiju 

Law Minister says the Supreme Court has held that consensual sexual acts of adults in private are constitutional

The Supreme Court and other courts have held that live-in relationships, which are in the nature of marriage, are protected under the provisions of the Protection of Women against Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA), Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Thursday.

Responding to a question by Congress member Rajani Patil in the Upper House on whether the government plans to provide a set of protections for people in live-in relationships, Mr. Rijiju spelt out the provisions of the Domestic Violence Act of 2005.

“As per sub-section (f) of section (2) of the aforesaid Act ‘domestic relationship’ means relationship between two persons who live or have, at any point of time, lived together in a shared household, when they are related by consanguinity, marriage, or through a relationship in the nature of marriage, adoption or are family members living together as a joint family,” Mr. Rijiju said.

“The Hon’ble Supreme Court and other Hon’ble Courts in a number of judgments have held the view that ‘live-in-relationships’, which are in the nature of marriage are covered under the provisions of PWDVA. In Navtej Singh Johar and Others Vs Union of India and Ors (Writ Petition(Criminal) No. 76 of 2016) the Supreme Court held that consensual sexual acts of adults in private are constitutional,” he added.