ISSUE:
Whether respondent's relationship with the petitioner falls under the definition of in the nature of marriage of the DV Act?
Whether respondents can claim maintenance in this relationship?
RULE:
To consider a relationship as a "relationship in the nature of marriage” it must inherent essential characteristic of a marriage, but a relationship other than “in the nature of marriage” and the person’s status is lower than the status of a wife and that relationship would not fall within the definition of “domestic relationship” under Section 2(f) of the DV Act.