The Telangana High Court has ruled that not cooking food and not cooperating with the husband’s mother does not amount to cruelty when both spouses are working.
The Court clarified that divorce cannot be granted on these grounds alone. It observed that such domestic issues must be assessed in the context of individual circumstances.
The case was filed by a man from LB Nagar, who sought divorce citing cruelty by his wife. However, the Court dismissed his appeal.
The jury noted that the husband worked from 1pm to 10pm, while the wife worked from 9am to 6pm. Based on their working hours, the Court ruled that not cooking food does not qualify as cruelty.
The jury also pointed out inconsistencies in the husband’s statements. He claimed his wife stayed with him for five months at one point and three months at another, while the total duration of the marriage was one year and nine months.
The Court further stated that the wife staying with her parents after an abortion to take rest cannot be considered cruelty. It said such circumstances do not justify granting divorce.
Referring to earlier rulings by the Supreme Court, the jury noted that demanding separation from parents may amount to cruelty in some cases. However, in this case, the wife did not make such a demand.
The Court clarified that the suggestion of living separately was made by the wife’s lawyer and not by the wife herself. Hence, that clause was not applicable here.
Concluding the judgement, the jury stated that the grounds cited did not qualify for divorce. The husband’s appeal was therefore struck down.
