THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As many as eight family cases are being filed every day in Ernakulam Family Court, proving that all is not well among our families.
It has been estimated that more than 1,200 couples have legally separated in Kochi during the past one year. As per the 2011 statistics, 3,712 cases were filed in the Family Court, of which 2,941 faced court proceedings.
Of these cases, 2,883 were civil cases, including divorce, custodianship of children and seeking compensation. As many as 829 criminal cases, including incidents of domestic violence, were also filed.
The cases under the Hindu Marriage Act filed in the city were 919, of which 727 saw court proceedings. Under the Special Marriage Act, 117 cases were filed, of which 94 were handled by the court.
The cases under Muslim marriage were low, with only 42 cases being filed and 24 being handled by the court. Under the general divorce, especially Christian marriages, 725 cases were filed and verdict was passed in 585 cases. Legal experts estimate that 60 per cent of the cases end up in divorce.
Legal experts believe it is the modern way of living that contributes to the rise in divorce cases.
“In most cases, we have found that the couples do not get enough time for each other. In some cases, the husband alleges that the wife has misused his properties and has affairs. The same version is narrated by the wife also,” a legal expert said.
He added that the advent of mobile phones has added to the issues. “Many complain that their spouses spend time chatting with people on phone. There is a considerable rise in divorce rate among techies in the city. With both husband and wife busy with their jobs, they don’t have time for each other. They discuss professional matters at home too, which eventually results in increased divorce rates,” the expert said.