Denial Of Cohabitation, False Criminal Case By Wife Amount To Cruelty: Rajasthan High Court Dissolves 22-Year-Old Marriage

The Rajasthan High Court has held that denial of cohabitation by the wife as well as filing of a false criminal case against the husband, amount to cruelty. The division bench of Justice Inderjeet Singh and Justice Sandeep Taneja was hearing an appeal against Family Court's rejection of a divorce application filed by the appellant-husband.It was the case of the husband that the marriage...

Long Cohabitation As Husband & Wife Raises Strong Presumption Of Valid Marriage, Heavy Burden On Party Challenging It: MP High Court

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has held that where a man and woman have lived together for a long period as husband and wife, the legal presumption would favour the legitimacy of their marriage rather than its illegitimacy. [2026 LiveLaw (MP) 353]The bench of Justice Pranay Verma stated:"There is no one in the village except defendant no.2, who does not treat defendant nos.1 and 3 as husband...

Divorce Decree Doesn't Bar Subsequent Claim For Permanent Alimony Under Section 25 Hindu Marriage Act: MP High Court

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has held that the fact that a decree of divorce has already been passed does not, by itself, preclude a spouse from seeking permanent alimony under Section 25 of the Hindu Marriage Act. [2026 LiveLaw (MP) 357]The Court accordingly held that the matrimonial court is competent to consider an application for permanent alimony even after the divorce decree.The bench...

Fame Doesn't Create Exception: Karnataka High Court Grants Divorce To Actor 'Duniya Vijay', Awards ₹2 Crore Permanent Alimony To Wife

The Karnataka High Court has granted a decree of divorce to popular Kannada actor 'Duniya Vijay' (B.R. Vijay Kumar) on the ground of cruelty, while awarding Rs 2 crores as permanent alimony to his estranged wife, Nagarathna. [2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 343]“…Fame does not create an exception to a person's conduct but it magnifies its standard. When a man of public influence strays from the...

'Law Alone Not Enough, Judges Should Also Play Ball': Madras High Court Grants Mutual Consent Divorce After Family Court Declined Jurisdiction

The Madras High Court recently set aside an order of a Family Court, Thanjavur, refusing to grant mutual divorce to a couple, citing lack of territorial jurisdiction. [2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 432]. The bench of Justice GR Swaminathan and Justice MD Sumathi remarked that though the Special Marriage Act provides for dissolution of marriage without much adjudication when there...

Granddaughter Undergoing Studies Availing Loan Can't Be Expected To Maintain Pension-Drawing Grandmother: Kerala High Court

Kerala High Court recently held that a granddaughter, who is undergoing studies after availing a student loan, cannot be expected to maintain her pension-drawing grandmother. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 487]Justice Harisankar V. Menon dismissed an octogenarian's plea against her daughter-in-law and granddaughter seeking maintenance from them as per the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and...

Woman Marrying Divorcee Can't Claim Maintenance If She Fails To Verify Finality Of Divorce Decree: Karnataka High Court

The Dharwad Bench of Karnataka High Court has held that a woman who knowingly marries a man believing him to be a divorcee cannot claim maintenance under Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) if she failed to verify whether the divorce decree had attained finality or was stayed in appeal. Justice Geetha K.B. dismissed a revision petition filed by a woman challenging the...

Wife Who Left Matrimonial Home During Covid To Care For Parents & Never Came Back Not Entitled To Maintenance: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court has recently dismissed a revision plea filed by a wife seeking maintenance, holding that she failed to establish reasonable cause for leaving the matrimonial home, particularly when she left to care for COVID-affected parents and subsequently refused to return despite her husband's requests.The single judge bench of Dr. Justice Chilakur Sumalatha noted as below in...

'Justice Not Merely About Speed, Judgments Can't Be Obtained By Click Of Button': Karnataka High Court Refuses To Fast-Track Divorce Case

Judges can't be pressured with rigid deadlines, Court said.

'Joint Parenting' Not Recognised By Indian Laws, Focus Should Be On Child Welfare And Not Parental Rights: Bombay High Court

A strict 50-50 split is not a practical solution and may lead to further conflicts, Court said.

Marriage Officer Can't Insist On Nepali Woman's Single Status Certificate To Solemnise Marriage Under SMA: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court recently clarified that a marriage officer cannot refuse to solemnize a marriage under the Special Marriage Act, 1954 by citing expired “single status certificate”. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 474]Justice Harisankar V. Menon was considering a writ petition preferred by a man, who was aggrieved by the Marriage Officer's refusal to solemnize his marriage with a...

'Abuse Of Process': Bombay High Court Imposes ₹5 Lakh Costs On Son Seeking To Assess 78-Yr-Old Father's Mental Condition Amid Property Dispute

The Bombay High Court recently imposed a hefty cost of Rs 5 lakh on a man for dragging his septuagenarian father to court despite the fact of him (father) suffering from various ailments. The High Court held this to be an abuse of the process and severely reprimanded the son's conduct. A division bench of Justice Ajay Gadkari and Justice Kamal Khata noted that in February 2026 a single-judge...