New Delhi : In a remarkable judgment that could impact the social fabric of the Indian society, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that if a man and a woman cohabited for a long time, the law would presumes them as married. In addition to this, the court has also given woman the right to inherit her partner’s property after his death.
The apex court also said the law presumes against concubinage and favours marriage when a man and woman have cohabited continuously for a long time. A bench of Justices MY Eqbal and Amitava Roy said this while dealing with a case of property dispute where family members contested that their grandfather, who was living with a woman for 20 years after his wife’s death, was not legally wedded to her.
