Live-in by Under 18 Illegal & Immoral: Allahabad High Court

New Delhi: The Allahabad High Court opined that a live-in relationship of any person below the age of 18 would be an act not only immoral but also illegal.

The court further noted that a person below the age of 18 years is considered to be a child and such a child cannot have a live-in relationship.

A bench of the Allahabad High Court made this observation in a recent judgment that dismissed a petition filed by Ali Abbas, a 17-year-old boy, and his live-in partner Saloni Yadav, 19.

“There are several conditions for a live-in relation to be treated as a relation in nature of marriage and in any case, a person has to be major (above the age of 18 years), although he may not be of marriageable age (21 years). Hence, a child cannot have a live-in relationship and this would be an act not only immoral but also illegal,” the bench observed.

The petitioners in their joint petition had requested the high court to quash the FIR lodged against the boy under IPC sections 363 and 366 of the IPC by the family members of the girl.

The court observed that if this is permitted, this would amount to putting premium on an illegal activity and thus would not be in the interest of society.