‘Why Don’t You Earn?’: SC Raps Woman Demanding ₹12 Crore, BMW In Alimony

The Supreme Court on Tuesday observed that highly educated women should earn their own livelihood instead of solely claiming interim maintenance from their estranged husbands.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai made the remarks while hearing a case where a woman, after an 18-month marriage, demanded ₹12 crore, a house in Mumbai, and a BMW as alimony.

“Aap itni padi likhi hai. Aapko khudko mangna nahi chahiye aur khudko kama ke khana chahiye. (You are so educated. You should earn for yourself and shouldn’t ask for it),” the CJI orally remarked during the hearing.

Questioning the woman’s demands, the CJI pointed out her qualifications. “You’re an IT person. You’ve done your MBA. You’re in demand… Bengaluru, Hyderabad… Why don’t you work also?” he asked.

“You had a marriage for just 18 months,” the CJI said, adding, “And now you also want a BMW?”
The woman justified her demands by stating that her husband is “very rich” and had sought to nullify their marriage by claiming she was schizophrenic.

The bench, however, remained firm. “Either you get a flat free of all encumbrances or nothing. When you are highly educated and decide not to work out of your own volition,” the CJI was quoted as saying by legal news portal Bar and Bench.

This observation from the apex court echoes a similar sentiment expressed by the Delhi High Court earlier this year. In March, the High Court had noted that the law on maintenance doesn’t promote “idleness” and that qualified women with earning capacity should not solely depend on their husbands for interim maintenance.
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