New Delhi. The Supreme Court on Thursday settled an extraordinary divorce case that left even the judges surprised. In this rare instance, the woman seeking divorce not only refused to claim alimony but also voluntarily agreed to return the gold bangle gifted to her by her mother-in-law at the time of marriage. The court termed the woman’s gesture “rare” and praised her exceptional goodwill.
According to a report by LiveLaw, a bench of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice K.V. Viswanathan described the matter as a “rare settlement.” During the hearing, the woman’s counsel informed the court that she was not seeking any alimony or financial compensation. When the issue of a gold bangle came up, the bench initially assumed that the woman was demanding the return of her stridhan. However, her lawyer clarified that she herself wished to return the ornament.
Impressed by her conduct, Justice Pardiwala remarked, “It is rare to see such cases these days.” He noted that this was one of those exceptional situations where there was no exchange of money or property—rather, the wife was willingly returning even the gold bangle.
The woman appeared before the court via video conferencing, where the bench appreciated her calm and generous approach. “Forget the past and live your life happily,” Justice Pardiwala advised.
In its final order, the Supreme Court invoked Article 142 of the Constitution to dissolve the marriage. The court called the woman’s gesture exemplary and affirmed that such cases have indeed become “rare” in today’s times.