A civil partnership is a legally recognized relationship between partners which offers the same benefits and legal rights as a conventional marriage.
There are various reasons why civil partnerships are suited over marriages especially in India
- Firstly, those in a civil partnership inherit the benefits and rights that arise from a marriage, such as Tax benefits, Pensions, Inheritance, Social Welfare, Maintenance, Shared Home, Barring, Safety and Protection orders.
- Secondly, there are no religious barriers, connotations or what many would say “ religious politics” attached to civil partnerships, which would make them a convenient option for couples who want to be legally recognized as partners but don’t want to commit or align themselves to any particular religion.
- Thirdly, there is no compulsion that a ceremony is to be held, it is a simple procedure where both parties or partners have to attest or sign a civil partnership document.
- A marriage recognizes a couple as “Husband “and “Wife”; which on paper without a doubt looks fantastic but also leads to issues of inequality especially in India. However, couples in a civil partnership will be legally recognized as “civil partners”; whilst some of you may feel that it sounds sketchy, it is exactly what a couple should be recognized as. Two individuals who are together as equal partners.
- Dissolution of marriages and civil partnerships have the same legal procedures, expect in a civil partnership’s a case of adultery cannot be used as a reasoning. However, as time passes, amendments can be made to the law to rectify this.
Why are civil partnerships the need of the hour:
- Marriages do not always workout or fit with everyone’s ideologies and whilst live-in relationships have been legally recognized in India, the introduction of civil partnerships would solidify the already existing laws governing live in relationships.
- Civil partnerships can be easily enforced in cases where two partners object to the concept of marriage, due to issues with regards to traditions, religions and family politics.