DR.

RAM MANOHAR LOHIYA

NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY, LUCKNOW
SESSION 2016-17

SUBJECT: BASICS OF LEGISLATION AND CASE LAW

SYNOPSIS
ON
LIVE IN RELATIONSHIP (COHABITATION)

Submitted by: Submitted to:

DIGVIJAY SINGH Mr. SHASHANK SHEKHAR

B.A. LLB (Hons.) Asst. PROFESSOR (Dept. of Law)

Ist Semester Dr. RMLNLU

Section- A

Roll Number- 65

1|Page
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The whole project in Basics of Legislation and Case Law has been given shape and
success by the effort of a lot of people who has contributed in it completion. I
express my humble thanks to Mr.Shashank Shekhar (Assistant Professor,law), my
subject teacher of Basics of Legislation and Case Law under whose supervision the
whole project have been made and without whose teachings and insights this project
could not have been fructified.

I also extend my heartiest thanks to my seniors for their insights into the
concerned final draft of the project and helping with me with everything I asked
them. The role of the library department is also noteworthy. All the staff members
helped me generously in getting the material and information I needed to complete
this project.

2|Page
 LIST OF ABBREVIATION

AIR- All India Reporter

SCR- Supreme Court Review

SCC- Supreme Court Cases

W.P(C)- Writ Petition Civil

UT- Union Territory

Anr- And others

CASES REFERRED

(A) S. Khushboo Vs. Kanniammal & Anr.

(B) Lata Singh Vs. State of U.P. & Anr.
(C) Bharata Matha & Ors v. R. Vijaya Renganathan & Ors.
(D) Alok Kumar v. State & Anr
(E) D. Velusamy v.D. Patchaiammal

3|Page
 OBJECTIVE

The objective of the research project is to have a proper understanding of this topic and for
that a detailed study has been done which is informative in nature and analytical in its
approach towards the research on the topic. For this purpose the relevant cases are also taken
into account.

HYPOTHESIS

The topic is highly debatable and has had a considerable impact on the Indian socio-political
scenario. The Supreme Court has consciously sought to explain the legality and necessity of
this issue. Moreover the Supreme Court laid down certain guidelines considering past
situations and the present scenario which required a more progressive outlook.
The two main impacts:
Live in relationship directly affecting the status of wife, children, family and whole
country.
Chances are fair that the coming generations might forget the importance of
marriage and follow illegitimate relationships.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research of the project is doctrinal in nature as well as analytical various books of the
library and online database is consulted for this purpose.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE
For this various reports of the committies are taken into account, articles from newspapers are
referred, various cases are referred and also various opinion of the juristsare consulted also
the reports of the various organisation on live in relationship are referred.

4|Page
 BRIF SUMMARY
A live-in relationship is an arrangement where a heterosexual couple lives together, without
enterning into a fomal relationship called marriage. It need not necessarily involve sexual
relations. It is an informal arrangememnt between intended parties, although some
countries allow registration of such arrangements either to test compatibility before
marriage, or if they are unable to legally marry or simply because it does not involve the
hassles of a formal marriage. It may also be that couples in live-in relationship see no
benefit or value offered by the institution of marriage or that their financial situation
prevent them from being married on account of marriage expenses. Whatever be the
reason, it is quite clear that even in a traditional society where the institution of marriage is
considered to be “sacred”, an increasing number of couples choose a live-in relationship,
sometimes, various social, economic and legal issues have arisen and continue to do so.

Persons may find themselves in live-in relationships either “by choice” or “by circumstance”.
Relationships “by choice” are those where the partners live together. It may exist even
where the partners are already legally married to another person and yet engage in such a
relationship as a matter of preference and their “choice”. On the other hand, relationships
“by circumstance” occur where one or both partners are under the mistaken assumption
that a valid marriage exists between them or where parties thought they had validly
divorced from persons married or cannot afford to be married again due to economic
reasons.

5|Page
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
(1) http://www.westminsterlawreview.org/downloads/Women%20Empowerment.pdf
(2) http://indialawjournal.com/volume2/issue_2/article_by_saakshi.html
(3) http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2046460
(4) http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Live-in+relationship

6|Page