Bombay High Court: Educated Woman Cannot Be Forced to Work
The Bombay High Court recently said that a woman cannot be forced to go to work just because she is educated or qualified. The court emphasized that it is her personal choice to either work or stay at home.
Justice Bharati Dangre made this observation while hearing a case filed by a husband who challenged a family court order. The order had directed him to pay monthly maintenance to his wife.
The husband’s lawyer, Advocate Abhijit Sarwate, argued that the wife was earning a steady income and therefore should not be entitled to maintenance. But the judge was not convinced and replied with a powerful example.
She said, “Today I am a judge. Suppose tomorrow I choose to sit at home — will you say I must work just because I’m qualified to be a judge?”
In this case, the couple got married in 2010, but in 2013, the wife and their daughter started living separately. The wife later filed complaints under the Domestic Violence Act and also under Section 498A (cruelty) of the Indian Penal Code.
Later, she also filed for maintenance under Section 125 CrPC, asking for financial support for herself and her daughter. The family court granted her ₹5,000 per month, and ₹7,000 for the child’s expenses.
The husband challenged this order, claiming he had no money left due to ongoing legal cases and said his wife was lying about not having a job. He said she was employed and earning a salary.
However, the court said the right to work is a woman’s personal decision, regardless of her education. The judge underlined that being educated does not mean a woman must work.
The wife’s lawyer has now asked for some time to respond to the husband’s claims. The court has postponed the hearing until next week.
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