The Supreme Court has decided that a wife cannot ask for alimony just to balance the wealth between her and her husband during a divorce. The court said that a husband shouldn’t have to support his wife at the same level of wealth he has if he becomes more successful after they separate. The judges, Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Pankaj Mithal, explained that marriages are sacred and should not be seen as business deals.
The judges pointed out that some women misuse laws that are meant to help them, using them instead to threaten or exploit their husbands. They emphasized that laws protecting women must not be used in a way that harms their husbands or families.
In a recent case, the court ended a marriage because it could not be saved. In this situation, the husband was ordered to pay his ex-wife Rs 12 crore as permanent alimony, settling her claims. The court raised concerns about people making serious complaints just to get money, which leads to quick arrests of husbands and their family members, including older people who may be unwell.
The couple was involved in several legal battles during their short marriage and had not lived together continuously. The wife claimed her husband was worth Rs 5,000 crore and demanded money based on that. The court said that alimony shouldn’t be about making one partner as wealthy as the other.
The judges asked whether the wife would still want equal payments if the husband lost all his money after their divorce. The court confirmed that setting the alimony amount is tricky and depends on many factors, not just the couple’s wealth.
Initially, the husband agreed to pay Rs 8 crore for a divorce. A family court suggested Rs 10 crore, and the Supreme Court increased it to Rs 12 crore so the wife could buy a new home. The court also canceled all criminal complaints that the wife had made against her husband.
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