The Allahabad High Court has shared strong views on live-in relationships, saying that while the Supreme Court has legalised them, these relationships often go against middle-class Indian society's accepted norms. The court also noted that such cases are now coming up regularly, with many of them harming women more than men.

Justice Siddharth, who was hearing the case, said, “After the live-in relationship was legalised by the apex court, the court had fed up such cases. These cases are coming to the court because the concept of live-in relationships is against the settled law in Indian middle-class society.”

He further added, “A man can marry, even after a live-in relationship, a woman or a number of women, but it is difficult for the woman to find a life partner after a breakup.”

The judge made these remarks while hearing a bail application filed by a man named Shane Alam, who was accused under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the POCSO Act. He was accused of having a sexual relationship with a woman after promising to marry her but later refusing to marry her.

Court grants bail but warns of growing social issue

The woman, according to the police, had travelled with Alam to several places during their relationship. But when the relationship ended, the woman’s future was badly affected. Her lawyer told the court that she now faces “social stigma and difficulty in finding a life partner”.

The court accepted that while live-in relationships are becoming more popular among the younger generation, their “after-effects” are playing out in courts too often.

Justice Siddharth also pointed out the difference in how breakups affect men and women, saying that men often move on easily, but women face more challenges in rebuilding their lives.

The court noted that Shane Alam had been in jail since February 22, 2025, and had no criminal record. The judge also considered legal protections under Article 21 (right to life and personal liberty) and past court rulings like Dataram Singh v. State of UP and Manish Sisodia v. Directorate of Enforcement. The court also took note of the issue of overcrowded jails.

Based on these reasons, the court granted bail to Alam under strict conditions. These include not threatening any witnesses, not tampering with the evidence, and appearing in court whenever required.

The court's remarks have once again started a conversation about live-in relationships, personal freedom, and social consequences in Indian society.

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