The Supreme Court of India has made a significant statement regarding the misuse of laws intended for women’s welfare. The court emphasized that these laws should not be used as a means to “chastise, threaten, domineer or extort” husbands.
This observation was made while dissolving a marriage on the grounds of irretrievable breakdown. The court noted that the tendency to invoke strict provisions of law, such as Sections 498A, 376, 377, and 506 of the IPC, as a “combined package” in matrimonial disputes is a practice that has been condemned by the court on several occasions.
The court cautioned women against misusing these laws, stating that they are beneficial legislations for their welfare, not means to extort or threaten their husbands. The bench emphasized that Hindu marriage is a sacrament and a sacred institution, and it should not be trivialized as a mere social event.
In this particular case, the court granted divorce to the couple and ordered the husband to pay Rs 12 crore as permanent alimony to the wife. The court also quashed the criminal cases filed by the wife against the husband.
