Indian High Courts issue rulings on marriage and cruelty

Two Indian High Courts have issued significant rulings regarding matrimonial disputes and legal definitions of cruelty and obligation.

The Rajasthan High Court dissolved a 22-year-old marriage, ruling that a wife's denial of cohabitation and the filing of false criminal cases against her husband constitute cruelty. The court noted that the couple had lived separately since 2010 and found that forcing a reunion would be cruel to both parties, especially following the husband's acquittal in a previous dowry-related case.

In a separate matter, the Jharkhand High Court ruled that an ex-husband's refusal to remarry a former wife following the 'halala' process does not constitute a cognizable offence. The court held that a woman cannot legally compel an ex-husband to remarry or initiate criminal proceedings based solely on his refusal to do so.