After nearly 17 years of separation, the Telangana High Court ruled that forcing a broken marriage serves no purpose and only prolongs hostility. Upholding the divorce, the court ordered the husband to pay Rs 50 lakh as one-time permanent alimony.
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HYDERABAD: After a prolonged legal battle, the Telangana High Court has upheld a divorce decree granted by a family court and directed the husband to pay ₹50 lakh as one-time permanent alimony to his wife and daughter.
A division bench comprising Justice K. Laxman and Justice Narsing Rao Nandikonda observed that the marriage had irretrievably broken down and had reached a stage where reconciliation was no longer possible.
The court noted that the husband and wife had been living separately for almost 17 years, making any attempt at reunion unrealistic.
“When one party is not ready to cooperate, no purpose will be achieved by coercion through law. Continuing such a marriage will only perpetuate enmity,”
the bench observed.
The judges emphasized that forcing the continuation of a failed marriage would neither benefit the parties emotionally nor socially.
Background of the Case
The couple was married in May 2002, but their relationship began to deteriorate soon after. Following the birth of their daughter in 2003, they started living separately. After several years of separation and marital discord, the husband eventually approached the family court in 2008 by filing a divorce petition on the grounds of cruelty.
The husband, Dronamaraju Srikanth Fani Kumar, filed for divorce in the family court on the grounds of cruelty. The wife, Dronamaraju Vijaya Lakshmi, opposed the plea and sought restitution of conjugal rights, stating that she wished to live with her husband for the sake of their daughter’s future.
Despite her plea, the family court granted divorce to the husband, prompting the wife to approach the High Court.
High Court Observation
After examining the prolonged separation and deep mistrust between the parties, the High Court ruled that compelling the husband to resume marital life would serve no meaningful purpose.
The bench stated that law cannot be used as a tool to enforce unwilling relationships, especially when the marriage has lost all emotional substance.
While confirming the divorce, the High Court directed the husband to pay ₹50 lakh within three months as a full and final settlement.
Key Points of the Settlement:
- Covers permanent alimony for both the wife and daughter
- Includes settlement of all pending maintenance and property-related disputes
- Once paid, the wife and daughter cannot make any future financial or property claims against the husband/father
This order effectively brings an end to all ongoing litigation between the parties.
With the payment of the one-time alimony, the wife’s petition seeking permission to live with her husband has been disposed of. The husband has now been legally granted divorce, marking the end of a long-standing marital and legal dispute.
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