Today, the Supreme Court of India made it clear that a wife not doing household chores like cooking cannot be treated as cruelty in a marriage.

During the hearing, Justice Sandeep Mehta said, “You’re not marrying a maid, you’re marrying a life partner,” stressing that marriage is about partnership, not fixed roles.

Justice Vikram Nath also pointed out that times have changed and husbands are equally expected to share household work like cooking and cleaning.

The case involves a couple who got married in 2017 and have an eight-year-old son. The husband had filed for divorce, alleging that his wife started misbehaving soon after marriage, used abusive language, refused to cook, and did not invite him to their child’s cradle ceremony.

On the other hand, the wife said she had gone to her parents’ house for delivery with the family’s consent. She also claimed that her husband’s family did not attend the ceremony and demanded money and gold from her parents.

The Family Court had earlier granted divorce to the husband on grounds of cruelty. However, the High Court later set aside that order, after which the husband approached the Supreme Court.

The Court had earlier tried to settle the matter through mediation, but it did not work. Now, both parties have been asked to appear personally in the next hearing.