Woman's choice to either work or stay at home, even if she is educated - Bombay HC

The Bombay High Court's Justice Bharti Dangre stressed the importance of a woman's choice to either work or stay at home, even if she is qualified and educated to do so. The HC said that merely because a woman is a graduate does not mean that she cannot stay home.

The HC was hearing an application filed by the husband challenging the order passed by the family court in Pune. The lower court directed him to pay maintenance to his wife, who, according to him, was earning a stable income. Advocate Abhijit Sarwate, the husband's counsel, argued that the family court unfairly ordered the husband to pay maintenance to the wife despite her employment.

The husband and wife got married in 2010. Since 2013, the wife has been living separately with her daughter. In April 2013, the wife initiated proceedings under the Domestic Violence (DV) Act. 

After a year, the wife filed a petition for restitution of conjugal rights. Simultaneously other proceedings were initiated under Section 498A (cruelty) of the Indian Penal Code.

The wife further initiated a maintenance proceeding. The judge allowed her application and ordered the husband to pay ₹5,000 per month to the wife and ₹7,000 separately for the maintenance of the child. Aggrieved by the order, the husband moved to the HC. The plea stated that the hr did not have any resources left to fight the continuous proceedings being filed by his wife. The husband further argued that the wife had falsely claimed she had no income when, in fact, she was a salaried employee.

The HC was, however, not convinced and proceeded to remark on the choice of educated women. The Court adjourned the matter for next week.