Kerala HC frowns over live- ins

Though the Supreme Court has ruled that liveins are an acceptable norm in society, the Kerala high court has frowned on two collegegoing adults living together and termed it a “drastic step”.

The court also observed, “When taking such drastic step for the sake of love, as adults they should also be ready to face the consequences.” Justice K. Vinod Chandran made the observation while upholding the dismissal of a girl student from Mar Thoma College of Science and Technology, Chad a ya man gal am, Kollam, for living together with her classmate. The students, both aged 20, were dismissed by the college management and the girl challenged it.

“This is not a mere case of falling in love, but of two students taking the drastic step of eloping and living together without even contracting a marriage,” the court said. As consenting adults, they could definitely act according to their volition. But here they could not have even legally entered into a marriage,” the court said.

The court added the management’s concern of setting an example to other students and ensuring maintenance of discipline in the educational institution could not be brushed aside. The Kerala University refused to interfere.

The court noted, “The petitioner eloped with a boy studying in the same class and was staying in a lodge in Thiruvana- nthapuram from where the couple were apprehended by the police on a manmissing complaint and produced before the magistrate who released the individuals to their respective parents.”

The girl student submitted before the court she was pursuing her fourth semester of the course and that considering her excellent academic record, she should be readmitted. During the initial stage of hearing, the court requested the college to explore the possibilities of admitting the student back to the college on conditions, but the college expressed its helplessness.