Bhopal In a major decision, the Jabalpur High Court in Madhya Pradesh has ruled in favor of a life partner, holding that she is entitled to maintenance if the relationship ends. The court rejected a motion challenging the district court's decision and confirmed the woman's right to alimony for the time she spent in the relationship.
The case involved a man from Balaghat who had been living with a woman for several years and had a child. When they separated, the woman applied for maintenance in the Balaghat District Court on the grounds that they were living as husband and wife and that she deserved financial support.
Shailesh Kumar, a resident of Balaghat, was in a long-term live-in relationship with a woman which resulted in the birth of their child. After their breakup, the woman lodged a complaint with the Balaghat police alleging that Shailesh had misled her with false promises of marriage. She then filed a maintenance application in the Balaghat District Court citing her life together as the reason for the financial support.
When the Balaghat district court ruled in favor of the woman, Shailesh challenged the decision in the Supreme Court. His lawyer argued that while the woman claimed they married in a temple and lived as spouses, she did not provide any evidence of their marriage. Nevertheless, the Supreme Court upheld the woman's right to maintenance and cited the existence of her child as sufficient evidence of their domestic relationship.
Justice GS Ahluwalia of the Supreme Court dismissed Shailesh's petition and upheld the district court's decision granting maintenance to the woman. This Madhya Pradesh High Court judgment recognizes the rights of women in live-in relationships and emphasizes that women are entitled to financial support after separation, regardless of the legality of their marriage.
While cases concerning women's rights in civil unions are ongoing across the country, this decision sets a precedent by prioritizing the well-being of women in such civil unions. It underlines the court's stance that women deserve maintenance even if there is no legal proof of marriage.
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