Madhya Pradesh HC Annuls Marriage, Citing Mental Cruelty For Forcing Wife To Quit Education

Madhya Pradesh High Court

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has recently annulled a marriage, ruling that a husband’s demand for his wife to discontinue her education constitutes mental cruelty.

The court stressed the profound impact of depriving an individual of their education on personal growth and marital harmony.

Court Overturns Family Court’s Decision

In a significant ruling by the Indore bench, Justices Vivek Rusia and Gajendra Singh overturned a family court’s decision in Shajapur district, which had earlier rejected the woman’s request for a divorce. Court’s judgment followed a thorough examination of the woman’s situation, where she was forced to abandon her educational ambitions shortly after her marriage in 2015.

Woman’s Struggle With Education Deprivation

The woman, who had completed her Class 12 exams before marriage, married a man from Shajapur. She expressed a desire to pursue further studies, but her in-laws strongly opposed it. Shortly after the wedding, she returned to her parental home and sought a legal separation. The family court, however, denied her plea and suggested she return to her marital home.

Court Highlights

The High Court ruled that the marriage had irretrievably broken down, noting that the couple had been living separately since July 2016, with no possibility of reconciliation. The court emphasized that forcing the wife to abandon her educational aspirations at the start of her marital life was like “destroying her dreams.”

Dissolution Of Marriage Under Hindu Marriage Act

The court also noted the mental cruelty inflicted by living with a person who is “neither educated nor eager to improve himself.” Based on these factors, the High Court concluded that the marriage could be dissolved under Section 13(1)(ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.

During the proceedings, the court referred to a quote by American philosopher John Dewey, stating, “Education is not just about preparing for life, but it is life itself,” highlighting the essential role of education in personal development and societal well-being.