The Supreme Court‘s decision to award ₹2 crore in perpetual alimony to a woman from her second husband has rekindled discussions about women’s equality and empowerment. Particularly since Deepika Narayan Bhardawaj revealed the information on the social media site X, this case has attracted a lot of attention.
2 Crore Tax-Free Permanent Alimony
Deepika Narayan Bhardawaj’s post on X, highlighting the case, sparked extensive discussions. She captioned it, “- Alimony of 40 Lac from 1st Husband – Gets married again – Leaves 2nd Husband within 1 year – Fights cases with him for 9 years. GETS 2 CRORES FROM 2ND HUSBAND WHEN THEY HAVE NO CHILD AND SHE EARNS 1.3LAC PER MONTH!!! “EQUALITY”.”
A Tale of Two Marriages and Alimonies
The woman in question had been receiving alimony from her first husband for ₹40 lakh. Nevertheless, her second marriage did not survive more than a year, and for the previous nine years, the couple had not lived together. After an extended legal battle, the Supreme Court decided to dissolve the marriage in accordance with Article 142 of the Constitution, stating that there was no chance for reconciliation.
Financial Disparities and Court’s Justification
The estranged wife’s current income is ₹1.39 lakh per month, while she claims her monthly expenses to be ₹4 lakh, including ₹75,000 for her minor daughter from the first marriage. On the other hand, her second husband, a Vice President at a bank, has a net monthly income of ₹5 lakh.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Prashant Kumar Mishra observed, “This court is of the opinion that the demand made by the appellant is exceptionally high, but, at the same time, the amount offered by the respondent is insufficient in the broader rubric of maintenance considerations.” The court concluded that a one-time settlement of ₹2 crore was fair and balanced, taking into account the overall circumstances, social and financial status, current employments, future prospects, standards of living, and other expenses and liabilities of both parties.
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