Yes, and this is an important protection many people are unaware of — a live-in partner can indeed claim maintenance in Delhi after separation, provided the relationship meets the legal threshold of being "in the nature of marriage" as recognised under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005. Indian courts, including the Supreme Court, have consistently held that women in long-term, marriage-like live-in relationships are entitled to seek maintenance and other protections under this Act, even though they were never formally married to their partner.

To successfully claim maintenance as a live-in partner in Delhi, you generally need to establish that the relationship genuinely resembled marriage in substance — meaning a reasonably long duration of cohabitation, shared household responsibilities, public acknowledgment of the relationship as a domestic partnership, and mutual commitment comparable to what would exist in a formal marriage. Courts examine the totality of circumstances rather than requiring any single decisive factor, so gathering evidence of the relationship's genuine, marriage-like character is central to building a strong claim.

The maintenance claim itself is typically pursued through an application under the Domestic Violence Act before the Magistrate's court, or in appropriate cases, through provisions under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code (now reflected under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita), which has also been interpreted by courts to extend protection to women in genuine live-in relationships in certain circumstances. Your advocate can help determine which specific legal route best fits your situation based on the particular facts involved.

It's worth understanding that not every live-in relationship qualifies for this protection — casual, short-term, or clearly non-committed relationships are generally treated differently from those that genuinely functioned as a marriage-like domestic partnership, so honest and thorough documentation of the relationship's actual nature and duration significantly strengthens your position.

Given how fact-specific and evolving this area of law continues to be, it is worth reaching out via Aapka Legal Advice to assess whether your specific relationship meets the legal threshold and how best to pursue your maintenance claim in Delhi.

The Best Divorce Lawyers & Retired Judges in Delhi | Aapka Legal Advice network includes divorce lawyers experienced in live-in relationship and domestic partnership disputes, along with a panel of retired judges who can offer grounded, practical guidance on how Delhi courts typically evaluate such claims.

In summary, a live-in partner can indeed claim maintenance in Delhi after separation, provided the relationship genuinely resembled marriage in duration and character. Thorough documentation of the relationship's nature is essential to building a strong and successful maintenance claim.