The Supreme Court directs a father to pay Rs. 10 lakh for his daughter’s marriage, stating it is a natural extension of parental duty, while upholding the divorce.
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NEW DELHI: In a landmark decision on September 12, 2025, the Supreme Court of India reiterated that a father’s duty to provide for his children extends to meeting reasonable marriage expenses of his daughter. The bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta confirmed the Delhi High Court’s order, upholding a decree of divorce granted by the Family Court.
The case involved a couple married in 1996, with two children, a daughter born in 1997 and a son in 1999. After years of acrimony and repeated allegations of cruelty from both sides, the couple had been living separately since 2009.
While the Supreme Court upheld the divorce, it allowed the mother’s limited plea to direct the father to contribute Rs 10,00,000 for their daughter’s marriage. The bench observed:
“We are of the considered view that the respondent can and should contribute Rs 10,00,000 (Rupees Ten Lakhs only) for this purpose as meeting the reasonable expenses of his daughter’s marriage is a natural extension of his duty as a parent, irrespective of differences with the spouse.”
The Court noted that the parties’ marital relationship had “ceased to exist in substance” and that attempts at mediation were unsuccessful. It further stated:
“Since the appeals are pressed only to the limited extent of payment of a certain amount, and in view of the long separation and irretrievable breakdown of the marriage, we find no reason to interfere with the decree of divorce granted by the Family Court and affirmed by the High Court.”
The litigation in this matter had been prolonged and contentious. In earlier proceedings under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, the Mahila Court had directed the husband to pay maintenance, which was enhanced over time. Additionally, the husband had filed applications for DNA testing of the children, which were eventually dismissed.
The High Court, while affirming the divorce, observed that:
“The parties had been in constant acrimony since the inception of their marriage, leading the wife to make repeated complaints to the police. Lodging false complaints amounted to cruelty.”
Ultimately, the Supreme Court concluded that the husband was capable of making a reasonable provision for his daughter’s marriage and directed him to deposit Rs 10,00,000 with the mother by October 15, 2025.
Case Title:
Geeta @ Reeta Mishra Vs Ajay Kumar Mishra
SLP(C) NOS.15168-15173/2024
Read Judgment:
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