Supreme Court Emphasizes Equal Household Participation in Marriage

The Supreme Court asserted that husbands must equally share household chores, citing that a partner is not a maid but a life partner. This was stated during a hearing of a petition challenging a divorce decision by the Karnataka High Court over alleged cruelty due to the wife's behavior.

The Supreme Court has emphasized the necessity for husbands to engage equally in household responsibilities, including cooking, cleaning, and washing. The remark was made by Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta while hearing a man's appeal against a Karnataka High Court verdict. The High Court had overturned a trial court's decision granting the man a divorce on the grounds of cruelty, after failed mediation attempts between the couple, who were married in 2017 but have been separated since 2019.

The man's counsel claimed the woman exhibited improper behavior and refrained from cooking, which he cited as grounds for cruelty. However, Justice Nath, observing current societal norms, stated that these reasons do not constitute cruelty. Justice Mehta added, 'You are not marrying a maid; you are marrying a life partner.'

The bench noted that both parties have careers in government schooling and instructed them to appear physically in court on April 27 when the case resumes.

(With inputs from agencies.)