A Woman Is Not a Chattel and Cannot Be Forced to Live with Husband: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of India recently made a significant observation, stating that a woman is not a “chattel” and cannot be compelled to live with her husband against her will.
The ruling came during a hearing of a plea filed by a man seeking an order to force his wife to live with him. A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Hemant Gupta strongly rejected the notion, asking, “Is a wife a chattel that she can be directed to go with you?”
The case involved a petitioner from Gorakhpur who sought to restore his conjugal rights following a Family Court’s order. The couple had married in 2013, but the wife left her matrimonial home, alleging torture and harassment by her in-laws.
In 2015, the wife filed a plea in the Family Court, demanding ₹20,000 monthly maintenance from her husband. Meanwhile, the husband also filed a plea to restore conjugal rights. Although both pleas were initially accepted, the husband argued that he should not be obligated to pay maintenance since his wife refused to live with him.
This argument was dismissed by the Allahabad High Court, prompting the husband to approach the Supreme Court.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court rejected the man’s plea, emphasizing that a woman cannot be treated as a commodity or forced into a situation against her will. The bench reminded the petitioner that his appeal stemmed from the High Court’s dismissal of his objection to the maintenance order.
The decision underscores the importance of respecting individual rights and affirms that marriage does not negate a woman’s autonomy.
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