The Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court refused to delete a family court issue questioning whether a doctor’s wife sent kiss emojis to another man, in an ongoing divorce case alleging cruelty. The wife had challenged the issue and sought an additional question on the maintainability of the divorce petition, but the High Court declined to interfere.
The Bombay High Court quashed criminal proceedings against a woman’s in-laws, holding that merely remaining silent, refusing to take sides, or acting as passive observers in marital disputes cannot attract liability under Section 498A of the IPC.
The Allahabad High Court held that a mother’s alleged remarriage cannot defeat the independent statutory right of minor children to claim maintenance from their biological father, reaffirming that a father’s obligation to maintain his children continues regardless of matrimonial disputes or changes in the mother’s marital status.
The Delhi High Court recognised the Right to Be Forgotten, holding that individuals can seek removal of online judicial records in appropriate cases. The Court said digital erasure protects informational self-determination, dignity, and privacy from perpetual exposure to outdated past events.
The Supreme Court of India noted a worrying rise in women allegedly misusing dowry, domestic violence, and POCSO laws by filing frivolous complaints, overshadowing genuine cases and using false accusations to pressure husbands and in-laws for settlements unfairly.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court ruled that maintenance in matrimonial disputes should generally apply from the filing date of the application, but courts cannot retrospectively impose a uniform amount without assessing the husband’s actual income and earnings during different litigation stages.
Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya said matrimonial disputes often extend beyond strict legal issues and require sensitive, creative solutions. Speaking at India International Disputes Week 2026, he urged lawyers and judges to adopt “out-of-the-box thinking” for justice.
The Supreme Court of India will host the Commonwealth judges’ conference for the first time, but without Pakistan and Bangladesh. A senior official said both countries were excluded due to strained diplomatic relations as judges meet to discuss judicial cooperation.
The Supreme Court has warned warring couples against using courts to settle personal scores, saying such litigation chokes the justice system. Emphasising mediation, the Court urged early reconciliation in matrimonial disputes instead of prolonged civil and criminal battles.
The Madras High Court condemned attempts to misuse maintenance laws to drag remarried women back into past matrimonial disputes. The Court dismissed a grandfather’s plea, warning that such petitions revive hostility and undermine settled divorce agreements.
