Last Updated on March 7, 2024 by News Desk
Issue:
The Delhi High Court was asked to rule on whether a husband’s expectation that his wife perform household chores is cruelty and is cause for divorce, as well as whether the wife’s demands for separate living quarters and her fabrication of criminal charges against the husband were additional acts of cruelty.
Facts of the Case:
Due to his wife’s misbehavior, including her reluctance to help with domestic tasks, her desertion of their marital residence, and her false claims of criminal activity, the appellant, a member of CISF, filed for divorce. Considering their demands for separate living quarters as unkind, the appellant said, his wife and her family were to blame. The respondent wife, on the other hand, argued that expecting her to do home duties was a sign of marital responsibility rather than cruelty.
Arguments Presented by Parties:
The husband said that his wife had been unkind since she refused to help out around the house and insisted on having her own living space. He also brought attention to her unfounded criminal charges against him. On the other hand, the wife insisted that performing home duties was a duty of marriage and not a cruel act. Citing her uneasiness, she battled against the husband’s desire to stay with his family.
Judgment Delivered by Court:
The Delhi High Court ruled that expecting a wife to do home tasks is not harsh since it is a responsibility of marriage and a sign of love and affection. Since the woman regularly stayed with her parents, the court observed that the husband’s adjustment of separate living circumstances to preserve the marriage tie was ignored. Using Section 13(1)(ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, the court awarded the husband a divorce, finding that the wife’s conduct had weakened the marriage. The wife made false claims of criminality, which the court noted to be harsh. This highlights the significance of having verified allegations in circumstances like these.
Written By: Nikita Shankar @nikitaashankar
