Indian courts clarify marriage and caste law

On 27 July 2026 the Delhi High Court ruled that the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act requires a caste‑based insult to be made in public view, leading to the dismissal of a charge against senior Trans World Radio India officials. The same day the Madhya Pradesh High Court rejected a family‑pension claim by affirming that a notarised agreement cannot constitute a valid divorce under the Hindu Marriage Act, reinforcing the legal requirements for marital dissolution.

Two days later, on 29 July 2026, the Madras High Court rejected a petition for divorce that cited a wife’s accidental hip injury, holding that disability alone does not render a spouse unfit for marriage. Similarly, the Kerala High Court upheld a divorce decree, stating that a husband cannot be forced to remain married because his wife wishes to resume cohabitation. Both judgments underscored constitutional principles of equality, dignity and non‑discrimination, further consolidating the courts’ stance that disability or a desire for cohabitation are not legitimate grounds to deny divorce.

Together, the rulings illustrate a developing judicial trend in India toward stricter interpretation of the SC/ST Act’s public‑visibility requirement and a reaffirmation that Hindu marriage and divorce laws must be applied consistently, without prejudice based on caste, disability, or personal living arrangements.