Madras high court

CHENNAI: The Madras high court has asked the central and state governments to find out if exposure to ‘mega television serials’, among other things, was responsible for extramarital relationships, which it said lead to a spurt in crimes such as murder, assault and kidnap.

The court wanted to know whether economic independence of both the spouses, internet, sexual dysfunction , social media, westernization, and lack of quality family time, were the primary reasons for increase in extramarital relationships.

The HC also asked the authorities to explain whether arranged marriages conducted against the wishes of the bride or the groom and mismatch of couples were also reasons for such relationships.

The court suggested that a committee of retired judges and experts be set up to analyze the social menace and that family counselling centres be set up in every district.

List out murders in TN in last 10 yrs due to extra-marital affairs, says HC

A division bench of Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice Abdul Quddhose, said extramarital relationship had become a dangerous social evil nowadays. “Many heinous crimes including ghastly murders, assaults, kidnappings, etc., are committed because of clandestine relationships and they are alarmingly increasing day-by-day. Most of the killings are either by husbands or wives to eliminate his or her cheating partner, the paramour and, shockingly, even children. Moreover, murders are being committed either by husband or wife to continue the relationship with paramour.”

Marriage in India was based on love, faith, trust and legitimate expectation. The marital relationship was considered to be sacred. However, what should be sacred is fast becoming scary, shattering families because of extramarital relationships, it said.

In view of spurt in murders because of extramarital affairs , it was the bounden duty of this court to address the issue, the bench said.

In an effort to find out the reasons and ways to prevent/ reduce the offences, certain queries were being raised by this court. The queries were neither opinions nor findings or conclusions of this court, the bench added.

The bench then raised a series of queries including whether ‘mega television serials’ and movies were major reasons for the increase in extramarital relationships and whether such serials and films invariably gave clue to commit such offences, including murder and kidnap.

The court wondered “Whether better public exposure of women, who rightly broke restrictive customs, and their mingling with third parties in their offices or professions are some of the reasons for clandestine relationships.”

Directing authorities to provide the number of murders reported in the state due to such relationship over the past 10 years, the bench posted the plea to the third week of June for further hearing.

