Unmarried couples go through a lot while travelling in India. Though there is no law that denies unmarried couples to travel and stay in the same room, still they face harassment mostly at all the steps. People judge them while booking rooms and accommodations and even harass them when spending time alone in a public place. They are not doing anything illegal but they become a victim of unnecessary chaos a lot of times while travelling. These are some helpful and crucial rights that an unmarried couple needs to know to prevent themselves from any sort of harassment while travelling.
Staying Together In A Hotel As Unmarried Couples Of Above 18 Years Is Legal With The Valid Identity Proof
No law states that unmarried couples cannot stay together in a hotel room. The couple needs to present valid identity proof and they need to be above 18 years of age. It is no way a criminal offence to stay together provided you are of the right age and carry the perfect documents. Unfortunately, there are still many hotels in the country that do not permit these couples to spend time in the same room.
Also read: Unmarried Couples Can Book These 5 Budget-Friendly Hotels In Delhi
Even the police officers cannot meddle in if an unmarried couple is leaving together in a hotel. If the couples are adults, have valid ID proof to present, and are staying consensually, then it is legal.
An unmarried couple can never be arrested just because they are spending time together in any public place. Here, spending time together does not mean that they are engaging in any sot of PDA. According to section 294 of IPC, any kind of ‘obscene act’ in public spaces is punishable. Sitting somewhere or walking around is not at all punishable because of any kind of indecency.
Consensual Sex In A Private Place Is Not A Crime
Article 21 states that every individual has the right to privacy. Consensual sex is not illegal and unmarried couples (adults) can engage in it in private places. The supreme court has also stated it quite a few times previously in the 2017 Puttaswamy judgment and the 2018 Navtej Johar judgment.
Also read: Madras High Court Rules It’s Not A Crime For Unmarried Couples To Stay In A Hotel Room
People considered live-in relationships huge taboo years back. Though many young people are leaving with their partners in live-in relationships these days, they often face verbal harassment while searching for a house. In India, there is no law that denies unmarried couples from living together.