An Allahabad court has ruled that a long-term consensual relationship between two adults cannot automatically be treated as rape solely because the man does not keep a promise to marry. According to reports, the court considered the relationship as consensual over several years and held that the failure to marry, by itself, does not make the conduct rape under the circumstances described.
The ruling addresses a situation in which the prosecution alleged sexual intercourse connected to an assurance of marriage. The court’s order emphasizes that criminal liability cannot be presumed from a broken promise when the relationship is otherwise based on consent and continues for a substantial period. The judge also distinguished between coercion and consent, noting that the prosecution must establish the legal requirements for rape rather than relying only on the alleged promise.
All reporting on the case frames the decision as a “big order” from the Allahabad court, focusing on the principle that an unfulfilled marriage promise does not automatically negate consent.
