Not observing Karva Chauth fast is not cruelty, High Court gives this decision on divorce petition

Although the Karva Chauth fasting is usually observed by the women praying for the long lives of their husbands, one may have seen and heard about husbands too observing the fast occasionally.

But is not observing the Karva Chauth fast an act of cruelty? And can a woman claim that it is also a ground for divorce on the grounds of cruelty.

This question came up for decision before the Delhi high court recently. And the court’s decision did not go in favour of the wife.

Delhi High Court has said that not fasting on Karva Chauth is a matter of personal likes and dislikes of the wife. This cannot be considered as cruelty in marital relations and divorce cannot be granted on this basis alone.

The court said that following different religious beliefs and not performing certain religious duties is not in itself sufficient to constitute cruelty and breaking of marital bonds.

The bench of Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Neena Bansal Krishna made this comment while giving its verdict on the wife's appeal against the family court's decision to grant divorce. However, the court upheld the decision of the Family Court citing other reasons.

The court may have declined to term not observing Karva Chauth as an act of cruelty but there is nothing wrong if the husbands too observe the fast if only to keep the wife in good humour and have a good marital life.