New Delhi, June 8: The Supreme Court has observed that a person’s character or conduct cannot be judged solely on the basis of consensual physical relationships before marriage and clarified that not every romantic relationship is expected to end in marriage.
The court said that if two adults enter into a relationship with mutual consent and the relationship later does not culminate in marriage, it cannot automatically be treated as cheating or a criminal offence.
The Supreme Court further stated that a consensual physical relationship formed during a romantic relationship should not be considered cheating merely because the marriage did not eventually take place.
The court noted that each case must be examined on its own facts. It said the key question is whether there was a genuine intention to marry at the time the relationship was established or whether a false promise was made solely to obtain consent.
According to the court, a clear distinction must be maintained between consensual relationships and cases involving fraudulent promises of marriage.
The bench observed that the failure of a relationship to result in marriage does not, by itself, justify criminal allegations against either party.
The ruling underscores the importance of individual autonomy, mutual consent and careful legal scrutiny while dealing with disputes arising from personal relationships.
Legal experts believe the judgment provides greater clarity on the distinction between failed relationships and criminal misconduct under the law.
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