Hyderabad: The Supreme Court on Tuesday referred the contentious divorce case between a Srikakulam wife and a Hyderabad husband to mediation, after the judicial officers of the family courts in Rangareddy and Srikakulam came under scrutiny for their handling of the case.
The SC bench, comprising Justices PS Narasimha and Manoj Misra, indicated its inclination to set aside the Srikakulam family court's ex-parte divorce decree, stating, "Let the parties thrash out things at the mediation and we will review the progress after two weeks."
Representing the aggrieved wife, counsel Jandhyala Ravi Shankar highlighted the irregularities, noting that the Rangareddy court transferred the divorce case to Srikakulam despite the Supreme Court's stay on proceedings. Moreover, he criticized the Srikakulam court for granting the divorce on a Sunday and proceeding with the case prematurely, even though the Supreme Court was already seized of the matter.
Judicial officers under scrutiny
The SC bench expressed concern over the apparent lack of communication from the court registry to the bench regarding these developments, suggesting the need for an investigation into the registry's role. Following the SC orders, the Telangana HC has announced plans to take action against the Rangareddy family court. The Andhra High Court is yet to respond with its plan of action.
The couple, married on January 25, 2015, faced irreconcilable differences and began living separately. The husband, residing in Hyderabad, filed for divorce in Rangareddy family court in 2022, while the wife, living with her parents in Srikakulam, sought maintenance through a separate plea in Srikakulam family court. She also petitioned the apex court to transfer the divorce case to Srikakulam, citing her inability to travel to Hyderabad for hearings.
On April 28, 2023, the SC issued a notice to the husband and stayed the proceedings in Rangareddy. Nevertheless, the Rangareddy court transferred the case to Srikakulam, where the family court granted an ex-parte divorce on March 10, a Sunday, dissolving the nine-year marriage.