The government has proposed an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) whereby a woman living with a man ’for a reasonable amount of time’ would be given the same status as a wife the right to inheritance, maintenance as well as alimony. Well this is definitely contentious to all those hypocrites who reign strong in Indian society but in view of the society we are heading towards, the law makes perfect sense. It is to be understood here that there are sufficient number of people in urban areas opting for live-in relationships and thereby legalising it ensures that no one involved is exploited. But it is intrinsic that the process and fashion of legalising be such that live-in relationships serve the purpose of providing an adequate groundwork for a life long commitment.

Well before I elaborate on the utopian concept I just proposed let us have a look on why people enter into a live-in relationships and how should the notion be legalised to reap the best results. The most basic and oft cited reason for entering into a live-in relationship is to get more time to take a decision for a lifetime. Many people who don’t want the tag of "marriage" at a certain stage in life also second the idea of cohabiting whereby they can feel free from any kind of social and personal bindings. And people who condemn the idea of legalising it say that it would just encourage the undecided and rash youngsters to continue play frivolously with the issues like commitments. But my humble contention here is that if the idea is legalised with adequate constraints then it has equal chances of helping people take wiser decisions. In the first place it will ensure that people indulge in profound brainwork before going in for cohabiting because of the legal consequences associated. Couples will also have the freedom to end the live-in relationship before a certain time if they don’t find each other compatible. It will also grant live-in relationships a more serious and responsible nature.

It’s very important that there should be clarity in laws about who can enter into a living relationship or else it may contradict the Hindu Marriage Act whereby a person cannot have two wives simultaneously. A fixed specified eligibility criterion will help stymie the cases wherein people who are already married enter into cohabiting which causes the exploitation of previous partner’s rights. Associating legal constraints may help in bringing down the soaring toll of divorces in the country too.

The present intelligentsia unanimously and aggressively demands time and leeway to choose their partners which can be given to them by legalising the concept of living together before marriage for a specified time duration. All those so called commitment phobic people who don’t want to undergo a ritual called marriage certainly deserve to have a lifelong socially respected relationship. Legalising silently serves this vital purpose of giving the status of husband and wife to a couple living together for certain duration of time.

Basically I feel that though live-in relationships is a western concept but it can be implemented in our swiftly changing society too. But it should be legalised in a manner that it is useful for people entering into it and also the society at large.