'Wife not cooking can't be cruelty, husband must pitch in,' says SC
Supreme Court says a wife not doing household chores cannot be termed cruelty, stressing shared responsibilities in marriage during a divorce case hearing
The times are different, and a husband should also contribute to cooking and other household chores, the Supreme Court orally observed on Friday (March 20).
The apex court made the remarks during the hearing of a matrimonial case where the husband sought divorce on the grounds of alleged cruelty meted out to him by his wife.
Wife not cooking claimed as cruelty
The allegations of cruelty included use of filthy language by the wife against the husband and his parents, not inviting the husband to the cradle ceremony after she gave birth to a child, and the refusal to cook food for them, reported Live Law.
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The bench of Justices Sandeep Mehta and Vikram Nath stated that allegations such as the wife not properly performing household chores could not amount to cruelty.
‘Wife not doing household chores isn’t cruelty’
“You're not marrying a maid, you're marrying a life partner", said Justice Mehta. "You have to contribute to this cooking, washing, etc. Today's times are different", added Justice Nath. The bench asked the parties to appear in person for the next hearing.
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Earlier, the court sent the couple for mediation. The couple got married in 2017 and has an eight-year-old boy. However, the husband, who initiated the divorce proceedings, alleged that barely a week after marriage, the wife’s attitude changed and she started misbehaving with him.
While the husband alleged that not only did the wife use abusive language against him and his parents, but also refused to cook for them and did not invite their son’s cradle ceremony.
Conflicting claims between husband and wife
However, the wife countered, claiming that she went to her parents’ house to give birth to the child with the prior consent of her husband and his parents.
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She further alleged that not only did they refuse to attend the cradle ceremony, but also demanded cash and gold from her parents. She stated that she was forced by them to part with her salary.
When the family court granted her husband’s plea and granted a decree of divorce on the ground of cruelty, she appealed against the verdict to the High Court, which set aside the divorce decree. After this, the husband approached the Supreme Court.