Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Asha is not ready to live with her husband of eight years, Parikshit (both names changed), till he starts earning at least Rs 40,000 per month. She has been living with their daughter in Delhi for the more than a year and works for a private company. Parikshit lives in Bhopal with his parents.
After failing to persuade his wife to live with him, Parikshit has filed a case for “Restitution of Conjugal Rights” under Section 9 of Hindu Marriage Act in the Bhopal District Family Court.
The couple, in their thirties, used to live in Delhi. Both had jobs and a little daughter. Everything was fine till Covid-19 struck and Parikshit, like millions of others, lost his job. With no hope of getting a new one, he moved to Bhopal, where his retired father owns a house. Asha, however, stayed back in Delhi with their daughter and continued with her job.
After some months of unemployment, Parikshit managed to get a job in Bhopal. He now gets a monthly salary of Rs 15,000 working as an outsourced employee in a government office. He asked his wife to join him here. “He was hopeful that Asha will get a job in Bhopal and both will get each other’s company,” a counsellor at the Bhopal Family Court, Sindhu Dholpure told Free Press.
Asha, however, has made it clear that she will not shift to Bhopal till Parikshit starts earning at least Rs 40,000 per month. “How will we manage with just Rs 15,000?” she asked the counsellor. Parikshit through his counsel argued that with no house rent to pay and lower living expenses in Bhopal, they would be able to make ends meet.
Asha has sought time till March this year from the court on the ground that her daughter’s annual examinations are due, Dholpure added.
