Rajasthan High Court Rules Adults Can Choose Live-In Relationships Regardless of Marriage Age

The couple informed the court they had formally executed a live-in agreement on October 27, 2025.

Jaipur:

The Rajasthan High Court has delivered a significant ruling stating that consenting adults have the right to enter into live-in relationships even if they have not reached the legal marriage age, emphasizing that constitutional rights cannot be restricted on this basis.

Justice Anoop Dhand issued this judgment while addressing a protection plea from an 18-year-old woman and a 19-year-old man from Kota who stated they were cohabiting by mutual consent.

The petitioners presented their live-in agreement dated October 27, 2025 to the court.

According to the couple's petition, the woman's family was opposed to their relationship and had issued death threats, with local Kota police failing to respond to their complaint.

Public prosecutor Vivek Choudhary argued against the petition, contending that since the male petitioner had not reached 21 years—the legal marriage age for men in India—he should not be allowed to engage in a live-in arrangement.

The court rejected this argument, declaring that Article 21 constitutional rights to life and personal liberty cannot be denied simply because the individuals have not reached marriageable age.

Justice Dhand noted, "The state has a constitutional obligation to safeguard the life and liberty of every individual," further clarifying that live-in relationships are neither prohibited nor criminalized under Indian law.

The court directed the superintendents of police in Bhilwara and Jodhpur (rural) to verify the petition's claims, evaluate the threat level, and provide necessary protection to the couple if warranted.