NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday said a husband must contribute to the household chores like cooking and not treat wife as a maid. The observations came from a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta which was hearing a petition filed by a man challenging an order of the Karnataka High Court. The high court had set aside a trial court order granting divorce to the man on grounds of cruelty.
“You’re not marrying a maid, you’re marrying a life partner. You have to contribute to the cooking, washing, etc. Today’s times are different,” Justice Mehta said and directed the couple to appear before the court in person on the next date of hearing. The court had earlier referred the parties for mediation, which had failed.
According to the petition, the couple got married in 2017 and has an 8-year-old child. The husband was a government school teacher and the wife was a college lecturer.
The apex court bench also noted during the hearing that the wife was better placed than the husband, and had not demanded any maintenance/alimony from him so far. During the hearing before the apex court, the counsel appearing for the man said the mediation between the parties had failed. He said the marriage between the parties took place in May 2017 and since 2019, the couple is separated.
The husband had filed the divorce petition, alleging that a week after marriage, wife’s attitude changed and she started mistreating him. He claimed that she used “filthy language” against him and his parents, refused to cook food for them and did not invite him to the cradle ceremony of their child.
Refuting the allegations, the wife claimed that she went to her parents’ house with their consent for the birth of the child, but they did not attend the cradle ceremony. She alleged that her in-laws demanded cash and gold from her parents.
The Supreme Court posted the matter for further hearing on April 27 and asked both the parties to remain present before it. “Call both parties physically. We would like to speak to them,” the bench said.