# Supreme Court extends cruelty law to live-in relationships akin to marriage 2026-08-06T18:31:31+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet The Supreme Court has ruled that women in live-in relationships 'in the nature of marriage' can seek protection from cruelty under Section 498-A of the Indian Penal Code, corresponding to Sections 85 and 86 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The August 3 judgment in Lokesh BH versus State of Karnataka (2026) held that denying protection merely because a couple did not formally marry would violate Article 14 (Right to Equality). However, protection extends only if the partners had a clear intention to marry. The court invoked the KV Puttaswamy judgment on privacy to argue that lack of legal recognition for live-in relationships should not deny protection. Both criminal law under Section 498-A and the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 now apply to such relationships. Telangana Today notes this brings criminal law in step with evolving social realities, while India Today reports the ruling also requires proving intention to marry, a subjective element that could limit its application. ## Coverage - telanganatoday.com - indiatoday.in Tags: domestic violence, Indian law, live-in relationships, Supreme Court, women’s rights Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/supreme-court-extends-domestic-violence-protection-to-live-in-women/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/supreme-court-extends-domestic-violence-protection-to-live-in-women/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.