Supreme Court Dissolves Marriage, Orders Husband to Pay ₹1.25 Crore Alimony to Wife
The Supreme Court has dissolved a marriage and directed the husband to pay ₹1.25 crore as permanent alimony to his wife, invoking its special powers under Article 142 of the Constitution.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta passed the ruling while hearing an appeal against the Madras High Court’s order, which had set aside a Family Court decree granting divorce to the husband. The Family Court had earlier allowed the divorce on grounds of cruelty, but the High Court reversed it.
Justice Vikram Nath, writing the judgment, noted that the marriage had “irretrievably broken down” since the couple had been living separately since 2010. The Court emphasized that reconciliation was impossible, especially since the husband remarried in 2017 based on the Family Court’s decree.
The bench observed:
“There is no possibility of reconciliation between the parties. They have been living separately for nearly 15 years. The marriage has irretrievably broken down.”
Considering that the wife and child had not received any financial support during the long separation, the Court ordered a one-time settlement of ₹1.25 crore. This sum will be paid in five equal quarterly instalments of ₹25 lakh each, beginning September 15, 2025.
The Court further clarified that once the alimony is fully paid, neither party can make additional financial claims. The ruling ensures closure for both sides after nearly 15 years of litigation, which began with separation in 2010, divorce proceedings in 2012, a Family Court decree in 2016, a High Court reversal in 2018, and finally Supreme Court intervention in 2025.
The judgment also underlines the evolving judicial approach to “irretrievable breakdown of marriage.” While this is not yet a statutory ground under the Hindu Marriage Act, the Supreme Court has often invoked Article 142 to dissolve marriages where there is no hope of reunion.
This case highlights the human cost of prolonged matrimonial disputes and reinforces the principle that forcing estranged partners to stay married serves no purpose.
Case Title: A Renjithkumar Vs E Kavitha
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