Adult Woman Free To Live With Married Man, Not Illegal: Madhya Pradesh High Court

The Madhya Pradesh High Court recently ruled that no law prevents an adult woman from choosing to live with a man who is already married.

A Division Bench of Justices Atul Sreedharan and Pradeep Mittal held that while bigamy may attract legal consequences if marriage is solemnised, only the first wife can initiate prosecution.

The Court was hearing a habeas corpus plea concerning a woman over 18 who had eloped with a married man.

Emphasising her autonomy, the Court said it cannot interfere on grounds of morality and directed police to release her after obtaining an undertaking of consent.