Supreme Court dissolves marriage as being irretrievably broken down. Grants wife permanent alimony of ₹1.25 crore

General
1

Case Note

Case Name: A. Ranjithkumar v. E. Kavitha
Court: Supreme Court of India
Citation: 2025 INSC 978
Bench: Vikram Nath, J. and Sandeep Mehta, J.
Date of Judgment: 14 August 2025

Facts

  • The appellant-husband (A. Ranjithkumar) and respondent-wife (E. Kavitha) married on 15.02.2009.
  • They relocated to the USA, where the husband was employed.
  • A son was born on 07.04.2010.
  • The husband filed for divorce in 2012 under Sections 13(1)(ia) & (ib) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, alleging cruelty and adultery.
  • The Family Court (17.10.2016) granted divorce on the ground of cruelty (adultery was not proved).
  • The wife appealed. The Madras High Court (24.08.2018) allowed her appeal, setting aside the decree of divorce.
  • Meanwhile, the husband remarried on 05.03.2017.
  • Aggrieved, he approached the Supreme Court.

Issues

  1. Whether the decree of divorce granted by the Family Court was justified.
  2. Whether the marriage had irretrievably broken down, warranting dissolution under Article 142 of the Constitution.
  3. What relief, if any, should be granted to the respondent-wife and the child.

Judgment

  • The Supreme Court noted that the parties had lived separately since 2010 (15 years), with no scope for reconciliation.
  • Since the husband had already remarried, the continuation of the marital tie served no purpose.
  • The Court observed that the marriage had irretrievably broken down.
  • Exercising powers under Article 142, the Court dissolved the marriage.
  • The husband was directed to pay ₹1,25,00,000/- as permanent alimony to the wife and child, payable in five equal quarterly instalments between September 2025 and September 2026.
  • Condition: If the husband defaults in payment of any instalment, the order would stand recalled, and any amount already paid would be forfeited.

Decision

  • Appeal allowed.
  • High Court judgment set aside.
  • Marriage dissolved under Article 142.
  • Permanent alimony awarded (₹1.25 crore).

Key Legal Principles

  1. Irretrievable Breakdown of Marriage: Though not a statutory ground under the Hindu Marriage Act, the Supreme Court can dissolve marriages under Article 142 to do “complete justice.”
  2. Cruelty by Third Parties: The High Court had correctly observed that rude utterances by the wife’s father could not automatically be attributed as cruelty by the wife.
  3. Equitable Relief: The Court balanced equities by dissolving the marriage and securing financial stability for the wife and child.

PDF copy of the judgement is available.