Mumbai: The Maharashtra cabinet has on Thursday gave its green signal to amend Section 125 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), “Live-In Relationships” which seeks to protect the pecuniary interests of the “other woman”. The Maharashtra Government has decided to broaden the definition of “wife” to include a woman who has lived together with a man for a reasonably long period.

Under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the word “wife” now applies to a woman who has been divorced by or has got a divorce from her husband & has not remarried. But the committee said if a man & a woman were living together for a “reasonable period”, the woman should get the status of a wife.

This amendment would cover the interests of women involved in polygamous or live-in relationships. However, the government has not specified the term “reasonably long period” that a woman needs to stay with a man to be called his wife. However, it would need Centre’s approval to become a law.