Supreme Court Ruling on Divorce Settlement: No Withdrawal After Agreement
Supreme Court's Stance on Divorce Agreements
The Supreme Court has ruled that if a husband and wife have mutually settled all disputes, neither party can arbitrarily retract their consent later. The court emphasized that reneging on an agreement post-settlement constitutes an abuse of the judicial process.
Background of the Dispute and Settlement Terms:
This case stems from a marriage that took place in 2000. In 2023, after the husband filed for divorce, the family court referred the matter for mediation. During mediation, both parties reached a written agreement.
Origin of the Dispute: Following the agreement, partial payments were made, and both parties jointly filed for divorce. However, just before the final hearing, the wife withdrew her consent and accused the husband of domestic violence.
Claims of Jewelry Worth 170 Crores and 'Afterthought':
The wife introduced a new claim in court, stating that in addition to the written agreement, the husband had verbally promised jewelry worth 120 crores and gold biscuits worth 50 crores, which were not documented to evade taxes.
The bench, comprising Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Vijay Bishnoi, completely dismissed the wife's claim. The court noted that the absence of any domestic violence allegations during the 23-year marriage and the sudden emergence of such claims post-agreement were merely an 'afterthought.'
Supreme Court's Firm Remarks and Decision:
The court stated that while there is an option to withdraw from a divorce by mutual consent until a decree is granted, once the court accepts an agreement reached through mediation, it becomes legally binding. Retracting from the agreement undermines the foundation of the mediation process.
Utilization of Article 142: The Supreme Court exercised its special powers under Article 142 to dissolve the marriage and issue a divorce decree.
Costs and Directives: The court imposed a hefty fine on the wife, dismissed the domestic violence claims, and instructed the husband to pay the outstanding amount as per the agreement.