Can protection against domestic cruelty extend to live-in relationships? | Explained
The Supreme Court of India has ruled that protection against domestic cruelty under Section 498A of the IPC (now Section 85 of the BNS) extends to women in live-in relationships that are 'in the nature of marriage'. The court rejected the argument that the law only applies to legally valid marriages.
The story so far: In Dr Lokesh B.H. & Ors v. State of Karnataka & Anr , decided on August 3, 2026, the Supreme Court considered whether Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) could apply to a man in a live-in relationship and whether the expression “husband” under the section is confined to a legally valid marriage.
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