The Delhi High Court recently ruled that a daughter-in-law who mistreats her in-laws can be evicted from their home, citing the elderly couple’s right to live peacefully. The judgment clarified that a daughter-in-law does not have an absolute right to reside in the in-laws’ house under the Domestic Violence (DV) Act.
Case Details
The case involved a woman who challenged a trial court’s decision denying her accommodation in her matrimonial home. She claimed the house was a shared household and argued for the right to stay or be provided with alternative accommodation while her marriage continued.
Court’s Observations
- Rights of Senior Citizens: The court noted that the woman’s in-laws, as senior citizens, are entitled to live peacefully and should not endure stress caused by marital conflicts between their son and daughter-in-law.
- Section 19 of the DV Act: While the DV Act provides rights of residence, it does not grant an indefeasible right to live in a shared household.
- Alternative Accommodation: The court upheld the trial court’s direction to provide alternative housing to the woman under Section 19(1)(f) of the DV Act.
Verdict
The court stated:
“At the fag end of their lives, it would not be advisable for the elderly parents to live with the appellant given the frictional relationship. Alternative accommodation as directed by the trial court is appropriate.”
The respondent father-in-law provided an undertaking to arrange alternative housing for the woman as long as her marriage to his son remains valid.
Conclusion
This ruling reinforces the rights of senior citizens to live peacefully in their own homes and underscores the limits of a daughter-in-law’s residency rights under the DV Act. Alternative arrangements must be made to ensure fairness without infringing on the in-laws’ well-being.
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