Television soaps on Hindi channels  led to the divorce of a Pune couple. Seema, 31, a chartered accountant, sought divorce from Harshad, 34, her husband of eight years. One of her reason of seeking divorce was he did not let her watch Hindi serials. Interestingly,the family court, based this allegation and many more, granted divorce to the couple in August.Judge observed in his order, “From February 2005, the respondent (husband) started picking up quarrels with the petitioner (wife)  almost every day on the ground that she was seeing Hindi serials on TV channels. The respondent was not allowing petitioner to see programmes on TV as per her choice.

Seema had made many other allegations:Harshad, an engineer in a leading technical firm in pune, maintained no phsical relation with her; spat on her on some occasions; insulted her in in public; compelled her to travel in autorickshaw by herself at night; and threatened to commit suicide. she had alleged that all this amounted to cruelty and sought divorce and the custody of their six year old daughter.The family court held that seema has proved that Harshad treated her cruelly and granted her divorce. It also gave her the custody of their girl, allowing harshad to meet her for just two hours a week.

Aggrieved by the order. Harshad filed an appeal in the Bombay high court. It came up for hearing on Monday. Harshad’s advocates told the court that family court” has discarded the social fabric of the Indian society, according to which a marriage is a sacrement.” They said that none of the allegations made by Seema were supported by any evidence, and the disputes between the couple were but normal “wear and tear” of married life.

 Harshad has urged the court to restore his conjugal rights and set aside the family court’s order denying him his daughter’s custody.

  After hearing the case, justice suggested that the couple should cosider conciliation as it would serve the interest of of everyone, including their daughter.The judges indicated that the family court’s order would be set aside if the couple agreed to discuss seeking divorce by mutual consent, and decide among themselves about the custody of the daughter. Harshad and Seema were told to decide on this before their next hearing date. 

SC JUDGMENTS IGNORED

Harshad has contended that the family court has overlooked several judgments of the Supreme Court. The apex court through many a judgment has stated, ‘Marriages are made in heaven and cannot be broken at demand. To break a marriage it requires proof and apprehension in order to make it impossible for the spouses to leave with one another,” harshad has stated in his appeal.