Supreme Court’s big decision: An alimony demand of 18 crores after 18 months of marriage is illegal.

A bench headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud termed the demand of Rs 12 crore and a flat in a high-profile society in Mumbai by a woman as unreasonable. The Court directed the former husband to either provide a flat in Mumbai or pay a one-time settlement of ₹4 crore, thereby closing the case.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court, while giving its verdict in an important case, has said that it is not appropriate to demand a huge amount of alimony after a short-term marriage. A bench headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud termed the demand of Rs 12 crore and a flat in a high-profile society in Mumbai by a woman as unreasonable. The Court directed the former husband to either provide a flat in Mumbai or pay a one-time settlement of ₹4 crore, thereby closing the case.

"1 month marriage = 1 crore?" the court asked the question

The matter came to light when a woman demanded alimony of Rs 18 crore from her ex-husband, while their marriage lasted only for 18 months. The Chief Justice raised the question, "Does this mean that you want Rs 1 crore in exchange for every month of marriage?" The court said that it is not logical to demand such a huge amount after such a short-term marriage.

"You are educated; why don't you work?"

The woman said that she is an MBA graduate and has previously worked in the IT sector. On this, the court said, "You can work in cities like Bangalore or Hyderabad, so why are you not working?" The court made it clear that people who are capable of working cannot deliberately demand a huge amount, citing unemployment.

"No claim on husband's father's property"

The woman demanded a flat in Kalpataru Society in Mumbai, which is one of the prestigious housing projects of the city. But the court said that if that flat is not in the name of the husband but in the name of his father, then the woman cannot claim it.

Final decision: 4 crores or flat

The court gave two options to the former husband—

Give the Mumbai flat to the woman, or

Close the matter by paying Rs 4 crore in a lump sum.

Also, the court advised the woman that "You are educated; you should not depend on others. Live your life by working with self-respect."

The purpose of alimony is help, not profit

It is clear from this decision that the purpose of alimony is to provide financial support to the ex-wife, not to make her a millionaire. The court also clarified that it is wrong to demand indefinite alimony in a short-term marriage, especially when the woman is educated and capable of working.

This decision can become a precedent for such cases in the future, where people demand unreasonable compensation after a short-term marriage.