Muslims Cannot Claim Live-in Relationships: Allahabad High Court

Lucknow, May 9 (TNA) In a significant development, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court (HC) has ruled that Muslims cannot claim live-in relationships, as their customs do not allow that. The court said that a Muslim who follows Islam cannot claim to be in a live-in relationship. Especially, if he already has a living partner.

The court said that the customs followed by Muslims do not give them the right to be in a live-in relationship. The court said that when the marital status of a citizen is interpreted under personal law and constitutional rights, i.e. under both laws, religious practices should also be given equal weightage. The Court also held that the laws recognised by the Constitution, including social and religious customs and practices, are the same as those enacted by the competent legislature.

A division bench of Justice AR Masudi and Ajay Kumar Srivastava-I made this observation in its order on a petition seeking non-interference in the live-in relationship of a Hindu-Muslim couple. The petition sought the dismissal of a kidnapping case against a person.

During the hearing, the court found that a Muslim man was already married to a Muslim woman. She has a five-year-old daughter. During the hearing, the court was told that the wife of a Muslim man has no objection to her husband's live-in relationship with a Hindu woman. The court found that the petition was originally filed to legitimize the live-in relationship.