The Karnataka High Court recently made a significant decision by rejecting a petition seeking the annulment of marriage due to alleged cruelty by the estranged spouse. The petitioner also requested a psychiatric assessment of his wife at Nimhans in Bengaluru. The wife had previously taken legal action against the husband under the Dowry Prevention Act.
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Bengaluru: Recently, The Karnataka High Court has recently rendered a notable decision by rejecting a petition of distinctive nature. This particular case entailed a petitioner’s plea for the annulment of his marriage, predicated on allegations of cruelty by his estranged spouse. Moreover, the petitioner requested the court to mandate a psychiatric assessment of his wife at the esteemed National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (Nimhans) in Bengaluru.
The estranged wife had previously taken legal action against her husband under various charges, including those related to the Dowry Prevention Act.
On March 12, Justice M Nagaprasanna of the Karnataka High Court reviewed the petition. The decision was straightforward: the petition was rejected, and the husband was ordered to pay Rs 50,000 to his estranged wife.
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The husband’s legal representation had presented an argument centered around the mental health of the wife, citing assessments from the outpatient department of Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru. According to their claims, the woman was found to have a mental age of “11 years and eight months.” This, they argued, was sufficient ground for annulling the marriage.
However, the counterargument presented by the estranged wife’s counsel was both poignant and powerful. He emphasized that the petition was misdirected, as it did not pertain to the mental health of the woman but rather to the alleged cruelty that formed the basis of the annulment request.
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He highlighted the woman’s accomplishments and capabilities, stating:
“The wife has presented a multitude of documents illustrating her considerable talents… A comprehensive examination of these documents would unmistakably reveal the husband’s endeavor to establish a favorable platform for seeking the annulment of the marriage before the relevant court.”
“Such submissions are duly noted but ultimately dismissed, as the husband has not filed a petition before the relevant court invoking the mental unsoundness of the wife; rather, the grounds presented pertain to allegations of cruelty.”
-the bench noted.