Ideas of India Chetana Sabnis on The Intimacy Contract and the Indian State
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Oct 9, 2025 In this riveting discussion, Chetana Sabnis, a Yale doctoral candidate, explores how the Indian state regulates intimate relationships. She delves into the intricacies of the 'Intimacy Contract,' revealing how courts decide which relationships count as family. Chetana highlights the tension between customs and laws, gendered biases in welfare claims, and the complex recognition of polygamous and interfaith relationships. She also warns about the responsibilities that come with legal recognition, making this a compelling conversation on love, law, and identity.
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Who You Are Matters As Much As What You Do
- Recognition rests on both behavior within the relationship and identities of partners.
- Interfaith unions are far less likely to be recognized even when they mimic marital behavior.
Temple Ritual Didn’t Create Legal Standing
- A Muslim woman who underwent a temple ritual was denied standing because courts struggled to place interfaith intimacy within existing legal frameworks.
- Judges pointed to lack of an automatic legal category for interfaith unions outside the Special Marriage Act.
Children Strengthen Legal Claims
- Children in extramarital unions increase courts' willingness to grant recognition and entitlements.
- Illegitimate children can claim self-acquired inheritance but face limits on ancestral property.
