Woman’s Right to Choose: Supreme Court Rejects Plea to Force Wife to Return
In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court has reaffirmed a woman’s autonomy in marital matters, stating that she cannot be compelled to live with her husband against her wishes.
The case arose when a man from Gorakhpur approached the apex court seeking enforcement of conjugal rights after a Family Court order favored his wife’s maintenance plea. The couple had married in 2013 but faced marital discord, leading the wife to leave her matrimonial home due to alleged torture and harassment.
Upon her departure, the wife sought maintenance, prompting the husband to seek restoration of conjugal rights. The Allahabad High Court dismissed his plea, which led him to appeal to the Supreme Court.
During the proceedings, the SC bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Hemant Gupta rebuffed the husband’s plea, questioning if a woman should be treated as mere property that can be directed to live with her husband against her consent.
The bench underscored that the wife’s decision to live separately was not arbitrary and reflected her right to personal autonomy. It emphasized that the husband’s appeal was primarily against the maintenance order and not about compelling his wife to return.
The Supreme Court’s decision underscores the evolving jurisprudence on marital rights and women’s autonomy, highlighting that marital decisions should be based on mutual respect and consent rather than compulsion.
This ruling serves as a reminder of the importance of respecting individual choices and upholding the dignity of marital relationships in legal disputes.
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