Today, we’ll be looking into certain rare laws that civilians as a general may not be completely aware of, but which come in handy every time we find ourselves alone in the wild, anywhere in India. These 5 laws are comprised specifically for the knowledge and importance of every girl child living across the country and hence let’s dive into it.
1.Situation of Pee-Pee
We have all found ourselves at one minute or another where our bladder is full and we don’t find a washroom nearby or it’s that time of the month, and we counted our calendar days wrong. It’s tedious, frustrating, and most of all embarrassing when stuff like that happens. That is why it’s important to remember this law – “One can ask to use the washroom/restroom in any of the hotels and even ask for drinking water for free for oneself as well as their pet”. Yep, life-saviour this one. We don’t have to order something we don’t want just to use the restroom in a hotel. This law comes under the Sarais Act, 1857.
2.Juggling a Heavy Body and a Tedious Job
It’s not always flowers and roses when a woman gets pregnant and for working women, the stress is all the heavier, but it does help to remember, you don’t have to quit the job when you’re pregnant just because the superior coaxed you into it. Yes, “A pregnant woman cannot be fired from her job”. So, they go about it in other ways by asking you to volunteer to leave. But, keep in mind, if that is not what you want, the law is there to protect you. This law comes under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961. It applies even after the women have borne children.
3.Freedom for Romance
In this modern world, where India is moving towards an ultra-modern society, dates and hookups have become very common. But one should keep in mind, it is alright to hang out with your date, lover, husband in public and show affection through kissing or hugging and that’s not an offence. Do keep in mind to not take it any further than that, because “obscenity in public” is a criminal offence under Section 294 of IPC.
4.Adoption Rules
It is expected of a couple who were unable to bear children on their own to adopt kids and make their future better too whilst being happy themselves. Often, this happens as a last resort and after repeated failure in the fertility clinics’ attempts. Anyhow, for married couples who want to adopt children, there is one particular rule to keep in mind- “Married Couples cannot adopt two children of the same gender”. This is by the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act of 1956. Also, “a single man cannot adopt a female child”, says the Ministry of Women and Child development in a ruling, 2011.
5.Couple or Family?
When in a relationship, there comes a time when there is an expectation to move forward but ‘marriage’ is still not on the table. That’s when couples opt to live-in together, either as a path to marriage or to get to know each other better. Whatever the reason, this phrase always raises stereotypes and stigmas when uttered in society. So, what does the law say? “Living together is legal in India”, and the Domestic Violence Act, 2005 applies to live-in couples also. If a couple living together for a considerable amount of time bear children and continue to live together, in the eyes of law, they are presumed to be married. In a judgment by the Supreme Court in 2010, “Living together is a Right to Life”.
Stay Aware, Stay Safe, Until Next Time... - Aishwarya K.
