Supreme Court Denies 89-Year-Old Man’s Divorce Plea Against 82-Year-Old Wife
The Supreme Court has dismissed an 89-year-old man’s plea seeking divorce from his 82-year-old wife, ruling that the “irretrievable breakdown of marriage” cannot always be a valid ground for separation.
Court’s Observations
A bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi emphasized that:
- Marriage remains a sacred institution in India, even as divorce cases increase.
- A long period of separation alone does not amount to irretrievable breakdown.
Background of the Case
The husband, a former Indian Army officer, claimed that their relationship soured in 1984 when he was posted in Chennai, and his wife chose not to accompany him. Instead, she stayed with his parents and later with their son.
He argued that her refusal to live with him showed she had deserted him without a valid reason. A district court initially granted him divorce under the Hindu Marriage Act, but the Punjab and Haryana High Court overturned the decision, leading him to approach the Supreme Court.
Court’s Verdict
The Supreme Court noted that:
- The wife had always been willing to care for her husband.
- She did not want to live with the stigma of being a divorcee.
- Granting a divorce would cause injustice to the wife rather than ensuring justice for both parties.
The Court ultimately ruled in favor of the wife, stating that despite the challenges in their marriage, she had maintained the sacred bond since 1963 and raised three children. It dismissed the husband’s appeal, upholding the sanctity of marriage.
Be a part our social media community:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndianMan.in?mibextid=ZbWKwL
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/indianman.in?igsh=MWZ2N3N0ZmpwM3l3cw==
