Religious/Customary Marriage Has 'Colour Of Legal Marriage', Woman Can Seek Protection Against Cruelty U/S 498A IPC: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court ruled that a customary religious marriage without legal formalities is invalid for the purposes of Section 498A of the IPC, which deals with cruelty by a husband or his relatives. The court held that such relationships should be treated as live-in partnerships rather than marriages. This decision clarifies the legal status of customary marriages and their implications under criminal law, emphasizing the need for legal formalities to establish a valid marriage.