Live-in relationships or even unmarried couples opting to stay in a hotel room is never a crime. Yet, in our country, hotel rooms are raided, unmarried couples are not given rooms to stay in the first place, and they are sometimes even treated like criminals if they are found to be staying in a hotel room together. But here’s a breath of fresh air. Madras High Court has now ruled that it’s not a crime for unmarried couples to stay in a hotel room. If live-in relationships is not deemed to be an offence, then similarly even occupation of a hotel room by unmarried couples will not attract criminal offence. This verdict was ruled by the court to direct authorities to de-seal a service apartment in Coimbatore, which was shut down after the police and revenue time conducted a search after getting complaints of alleged immoral activities, and found an unmarried couple and few liquor bottles in the room in June earlier this year.
What’s In It?
The Madras High Court Judge has stated that the extreme step of sealing the premises of the hire service apartment in Coimbatore just because an unmarried couple is occupying it, is totally illegal in the absence of any law prohibiting the same. The hire service apartment was run by “My preferred Transformation and Hospitality Private Limited” of Gurgaon in Haryana. And on June 25th this year, the local police conducted a search after receiving information that alleged immoral activities were happening in the apartment. The police team during the search found an unmarried couple occupying one room, and the other room a few liquor bottles were found.
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And even without any written order, the premises were sealed. And to counter this the present petition was filed. The Petitioner contested that there was no justification on the part of the authorities. The unmarried couple’s side of the story was not even heard. The premises were just sealed without any order, and this was indeed a violation of the principles of natural justice. With the news going viral on social media, the petition stressed on action to be taken about the sealed premises. Did you know K Kamalathal, This 80-Year-Old Lady Serves Idli For Just ₹1 In Tamil Nadu
What’s More?
The prosecution on their part informed that since the petitioner’s premises didn’t obtain Form D and there was a lack of information about the guests occupying the room, so illegal activities by the guests were not permitted. Justice Ramesh stated that the premises did not have the liquor license to serve liquor in the room. But if the guests brought their own liquor and consumed it, then he cannot comprehend how this is impermissible. He further pointed out that the management behind the service apartment in Coimbatore were not put on prior notice before sealing the premises, and they weren’t even asked to give any explanation before sealing this place. Well, we hope that with this news at least unmarried couples won’t be treated as criminals by the lawmakers. And the victims involved would be compensated.