SC rejects PIL for registration of live-in relationships

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a PIL seeking framing of norms for registration of every live-in relationship with the Centre and termed it a "hare-brained" idea.

A bench, headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, asked the counsel for petitioner, lawyer Mamta Rani if she wanted to foster the security of these people or wanted them not to get into live-in relationships. The counsel replied that the petitioner wanted the relationship to be registered to enhance their social security.

"What does the Centre has to do with registration of live-in relationships? What kind of hare-brained idea is this? It is high time this court start imposing cost on petitioners who file these kinds of PILs. Dismissed," the bench also comprising Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala said.

The PIL was filed by Rani seeking a direction to the Centre to frame rules for registration of live-in relationships as it cited increase in crimes like rape and murder allegedly committed by live-in partners. The plea, which referred to the recent killing of Shraddha Walkar allegedly by her live-in partner Aaftab Amin Poonawala, also sought framing of rules and guidelines for registration of such relationships.

The PIL said registration of live-in relationships would lead to accurate information being available to both the live-in partners about each other and also to the government about each of them regarding their marital status, criminal history and other relevant details.