Kerala HC: Husband Comparing Wife to Other Women Is Mental Cruelty and Justifies Divorce
In a strong judgment on emotional abuse in marriage, the Kerala High Court said that a husband comparing his wife to other women and repeatedly saying she does not meet his expectations amounts to mental cruelty. This, the court said, is a valid reason for divorce.
The ruling was delivered on August 4 by a bench of Justice Anil K Narendran and Justice CS Sudha, while hearing an appeal filed by a husband. He was challenging a family court’s order that granted divorce to his wife on the grounds of cruelty.
The wife had told the court that her husband often criticized her looks, saying she was not “cute enough” for him. He also compared her to other women, including some women who were once considered for his brother’s marriage, making her feel unwanted and humiliated.
The court said that such constant taunts and comparisons clearly amount to mental cruelty. No wife can be expected to tolerate such treatment in a marriage.
“The constant and repeated taunts of the husband that the wife is not up to his expectations and comparisons with other women is mental cruelty,” the court stated in its judgment.
The court also spoke about the irretrievable breakdown of marriage, stating that while it may not alone be a reason for divorce, the law must consider the reality of the situation for the sake of the individuals involved and the larger society.
“Public interest demands that marriages be saved. But if the relationship is beyond repair, then recognising this fact is in public interest too,” the bench observed.
With this view, the High Court upheld the divorce granted by the family court, confirming that emotional abuse like comparisons and taunts is a serious form of cruelty in a marriage.
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