Madras High Court Rules Against Criminalizing Failed Consensual Relationships

Nov 12, 2025 11:03 pm CST

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has ruled that consensual sexual relationships cannot be retroactively criminalized when they end unfavorably. Justice B Pugalendhi quashed a case involving a woman lawyer who accused her former partner of false marriage promises, emphasizing that courts deal with legality, not morality, and that criminal processes should not be used to resolve emotional disputes between consenting adults.