The Supreme Court observed that domestic work is not limited to the wife and the husband also has an equal contribution.

While hearing a divorce case, a two-judge bench comprising Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice Vikram Nath remarked, “You are not marrying a maid, you are marrying a life partner.”

“You have to contribute to cooking, washing, etc. Today’s times are different,” the bench added.

The couple got married in 2017 and has an eight-year-old son. The husband is a government teacher and the wife a lecturer.

In his petition, the husband stated that within a week after their marriage, he and his family were ill-treated by the wife. She allegedly refused to cook and gave birth to their son, but did not invite them to the cradle ceremony.

The wife, in turn, stated in her petition that her in-laws refused to come for the cradle ceremony and instead asked for gold and cash.

The case was first heard in the Family Court, where a decree of divorce was granted on the ground of cruelty. The wife approached the High Court, which set aside the divorce decree. Then the husband moved Supreme Court, which gave him a reality check.