Court denies alimony to woman, says she’s capable of working

A woman has been denied alimony by a Delhi court which observed that she was capable of working as she used to do before marriage and so was not dependent upon her husband for survival. ‘The couple does not have any child and therefore the woman was as independent as the man to work and maintain herself,’ additional sessions judge (ASJ) Anuradha Shukla Bhardwaj said, dismissing the appeal of the woman, a resident of Delhi, who had challenged the order of a magisterial court which had also denied her relief on similar grounds. The court rejected the woman’s plea relying on judgements of the Delhi High Court in which it had held that when husband and wife have equal educational qualifications; both must take care of themselves.  ‘In view of the judgements the High Court of Delhi where it has been held that wherever the wife is capable to work and had been working, she shall not be considered dependent upon the husband for survival. There is no error in the order of trial court,’ the sessions court said.