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Friday 19 July 2013

Advantage women: Amendment to marriage law makes divorce easier

Advantage women: Amendment to marriage law makes divorce easier

New DelhiTo make marriage laws more women-friendly, the government today approved a host of recommendations made by the Group of Ministers (GoM) on divorce and inheritance in the Marriage Laws Amendment Bill.

The amendment now makes filing for divorces easier by doing away with the provision that required a couple to file a 'joint application' after the mandatory waiting period.

In the existing provision, if a couple files for divorce - even when consensual - there is a mandatory waiting period of six to 18 months. After that, the couple needs to come back to the court to sanctify the divorce.


If the couple does not move a joint application, then the divorce is not sanctified.

Now, a judge can exercise discretion in granting divorce if one of the partners does not move a second joint application for divorce with mutual consent within three years.

The other big change in the law is on inheritance. The amendment provides for sufficient compensation to a woman from her husband's ancestral property in case of divorce.

Also, in cases where the ancestral property could not be divided, the woman is now entitled to get sufficient compensation by calculating her husband's share in it. The woman's share will be determined by a court of law.

The compensation can be worked out by the court hearing the divorce case if there is confusion over the amount, the amendment says.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/advantage-women-amendment-to-marriage-law-makes-divorce-easier-393564 

Indian marrid man suicide


False allegations against hubby also amount to cruelty


Law Misuse


Eight booked for senior citizen's suicide

Eight booked for senior citizen's suicide


NAGPUR: Kalamna police have booked daughter-in-law SheetalMalviya, her parents and five others of her family for allegedly abetting the suicide of 67-year-old GajendraMalviya, who died after consuming poison on June 1, 2013.

Before Malviya's suicide, Sheetal had accused him of outraging her modesty. He had been booked for molestation by Kalamna police on May 2 and had been released on interim bail when he consumed poison at his Dipti Signal residence.

Malviya had blamed Sheetal and her family for his suicide. Malviya had written in his suicide note that Sheetal and her family would harass him to give money, otherwise they threatened to implicate his son in harassment charges.

Besides Sheetal, five people from the Kadhi family (Bhavana, Amit, Chandrakant, Kishore and Jaswant) and two others (Vijay and Harshal Kukriya) were booked by the cops.
 

Roll back anti-men divorce law

Roll back anti-men divorce law


New bill gives woman share in ex-husband’s inherited property

New bill gives woman share in ex-husband’s inherited property

NEW DELHI: A wife will have a share in her husband's inherited or inheritable marital property on divorce, though the exact quantum of the compensation has been left to the discretion of the judge, according to a legislation that was cleared by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday.
The Cabinet also cleared the proposal that in cases where divorce has been sought on mutual consent of both parties the judiciary has been given the discretion to grant divorce to one party after a period of three years, even if the man and the wife are no longer on the same page. These were part of the recommendations of the GoM on Marriage Laws Amendment Bill which will now be amended suitably before being brought to Parliament during the monsoon session, beginning August 5.

 http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-07-17/india/40634500_1_mutual-consent-marital-property-divorce-case

Women can misuse laws

Women can misuse laws


Daughter-in-law withdraws dowry case against Shankar Rao

Daughter-in-law withdraws dowry case against Shankar Rao

Hyderabad: Vamsi Priya, daughter-in-law of former minister Dr P. Shankar Rao, on Wednesday withdrew the dowry harassment cases that she filed against her husband and in-laws.
Vamsi Priya also filed a petition in the Andhra Pradesh High Court stating that she was withdrawing the cases.
It may be mentioned that the Cantonment MLA was arrested by the Central Crime Station officials of City Police in connection with the same dowry harassment case filed against him. Later, he was shifted to a hospital after he fell ill where he is still undergoing treatment.
 


Know your Speedy divorce.. IrBM

Husband arrested for sexually starving wife for dowry

Husband arrested for sexually starving wife for dowry

The all women police here have arrested a man for sexually starving (refusing to cohabit) his wife even a year after their marriage, demanding that she first fulfill his demand for dowry.
Priya (22) who was unable to bear the mental agony of her husband Ramesh (23) for more than 16 months finally approached the police.
Police said she got married in March last year and her nightmare began the same day as her husband demanded immediate handing over of seven sovereigns of gold ornaments and Rs five lakh cash, saying he would not have any physical contact with her till such time.
Her parents had agreed to give 20 sovereigns of gold to Ramesh, who works in a goldsmith outlet, but could give only 13 sovereigns on day of the marriage, they said.
Based on the complaint, Ramesh was arrested and a hunt is on for his parents who were part of the torture, police said.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/husband-arrested-for-sexually-starving-wife-for-dowry/1143641/ 

प्राइम टाइम : पति की पैतृक संपत्ति में पत्नी का हक कितना जायज?

नए विवाह क़ानून से होंगी राहें आसान?

नए विवाह क़ानून से होंगी राहें आसान?

विवाह क़ानून (संशोधन) विधेयक पर क्लिक करें मंत्रियों के समूह (जीओएम) की सिफारिशों को क्लिक करें कैबिनेट की मंज़ूरी मिल गई है, जिसमें तलाक होने पर पति की पैतृक संपत्ति में महिला को पर्याप्त मुआवजे का प्रावधान शामिल है.
हालांकि इन सिफारिशों को अभी संसद की मंज़ूरी नहीं मिली है, लेकिन इसके नफ़ा-नुकसान को लेकर महिलावादी संगठनों और पुरुषवादी संगठनों के बीच तकरार शुरू हो गई है.
महिलावादी संगठनों के मुताबिक एक अच्छा विधेयक है लेकिन महिलाओं को उनका हक़ दिलाने के लिए इस क़ानून की भाषा में और स्पष्टता की ज़रुरत है.
दूसरी ओर पुरूषों के संगठन की दलील है कि “अगर लड़की के घर वाले उसे अपनी संपत्ति में हिस्सा नहीं देते हैं, तो इसके लिए हम उस पति को क्यों सज़ा दे. शादी करना क्या एक आदमी के लिए जुर्म है.”
लेकिन इस बहस से पहले आइए इस विधेयक के मुख्य प्रावधानों को समझ लें, उसके बाद हम पक्ष और विपक्ष की दलीलों को सामने रखेंगे.

पैतृक संपत्ति में हिस्सेदारी

इस कानून को महिला सशक्तिकरण की दिशा में अहम कदम माना जा रहा है.
क्लिक करें विवाह क़ानून (संशोधन) विधेयक में प्रावधान है कि पति को मिली पैतृक संपत्ति या उसके द्वारा खुद अर्जित संपत्ति में पत्नी की हिस्सेदारी होगी.
कैबिनेट ने इस बात को भी मंज़ूरी दी है कि अगर आपसी सहमति से क्लिक करें तलाक के लिए पति या पत्नी में से कोई एक पक्ष दोबारा संयुक्त आवेदन दायर नहीं करता है तो अदालत तीन साल के बाद तलाक देने के लिए अपने विवेकाधिकार का इस्तेमाल कर सकती है.
मंत्री समूह की सिफारिशों को स्वीकार करते हुए कैबिनेट ने फैसला किया है कि तलाक की स्थिति में पत्नी और बच्चों को पति की अचल संपत्ति में हिस्सा मिलेगा.
पर यह हिस्सा कितना होगा, इसका फैसला अदालत पर छोड़ा गया है.
पति की पैतृक संपत्ति से भी पत्नी और बच्चों को हर्जाना दिया जाएगा. इसके लिए एक नई धारा 13 (एफ) को जोड़ा गया है.

राह नहीं आसान

कैबिनेट की मंजूरी मिल जाने के बावजूद इस विधेयक की राह आसान नहीं है.
सरकार 2010 में इस विधेयक को राज्य सभा में पेश करने के साथ ही इस पर सहमति बनाने के लिए जूझ रही है.
यह चौथी बार है जब कैबिनेट ने इस विधेयक को पारित किया है.
इसके पहले इस साल अप्रैल में कुछ प्रावधानों पर कैबिनेट में गहरे मतभेद उभरे थे.
इसके बाद आम सहमति बनाने के मकसद से प्रधानमंत्री मनमोहन सिंह ने रक्षा मंत्री एके एंटनी की अगुआई में मंत्री समूह यानी जीओएम का गठन किया था.

पक्ष की दलील

तलाक की स्थिति में अक्सर महिलाओं को बेहद मुश्किल हालात का सामना करना पड़ता है.
आल इंडिया प्रोग्रेसिव वुमन्स एसोसिएशन (एआईपीडब्ल्यूए) की सचिव कविता कृष्णन ने बीबीसी संवाददाता रूपा झा को बताया कि यह एक अच्छा विधेयक है लेकिन महिला को उसका हक़ दिलाने के लिए इस क़ानून की भाषा में और स्पष्टता की ज़रुरत है.
उन्होंने कहा कि “इस विधेयक में यह देखना होगा कि किन परिस्थितियों में कौन सी प्रॉपर्टी को बंटवारे के लायक माना जाएगा. यदि इसमें स्पष्टता होगी तभी महिलाओं को तलाक के समय कुछ मिल पाएगा.”
उनका कहना था कि इसको लेकर जो हौव्वा बनाया जा रहा है कि महिलाएं पुरुष की प्रापर्टी को चुरा रही हैं, असल सवाल यह है ही नहीं. असल सवाल तो यह है कि सरकार इसी विधेयक में तलाक को ज्यादा आसान बनाने के लिए कदम उठा रही है. यानी अगर कोई चाहे तो एकतरफा तलाक भी मिल सकता है.”
कविता कृष्णन अपनी बात को बढ़ाते हुए कहतीं हैं कि “अपने देश में ज्यादातर महिलाएँ पुरूषों पर आश्रित होती हैं, ऐसे में अगर पुरुष तलाक ले लेता है तो महिला के पास कुछ नहीं बचता है. इस संदर्भ में हर्जाने पर चर्चा की जा रही है.”
उन्होंने कहा कि इस विधेयक में यह प्रावधान भी किया गया है संपत्ति में हिस्सा जज के विवेकाधिकार से तय होगा. इसलिए ऐसा नहीं है कि महिलाओं को एकतरफा अधिकार दिए जा रहे हैं.
उन्होंने बताया, “पति और पत्नी दोनों की स्थिति को देखते हुए महिला को केवल उसकी ज़रूरत का हिस्सा मिलेगा.”

विपक्ष की दलील

विपक्ष की दलील है कि इस विधेयक को लागू करने के बाद लोग शादी ही नहीं करेंगे.
दूसरी ओर पुरुष अधिकारों के लिए काम करने वाली संस्था कॉन्फिडेयर के विराग धूलिया इस विधेयक को सरासर गलत बताते हैं.
उनके मुताबिक “इस क़ानून में सरकार खुलकर कुछ बता नहीं रही है कि किस तरह के प्रावधान है, कैसे उन्हें लागू किया जाएगा, प्रॉपर्टी का कैसे बंटवारा किया जाएगा.
वह कहते हैं, "लड़की के घर वाले उसे अपनी प्रॉपर्टी में हिस्सा नहीं देते हैं तो इसके लिए हम पति को क्यों सज़ा दे. शादी करना क्या एक आदमी के लिए जुर्म है.”
उन्होंने कहा कि शादी एक महीने की है या 20 साल की, इसमें कोई अंतर नहीं किया गया है. आप शादी करो और एक महीने में आधी प्रापर्टी लेकर चले जाओ.
वह बताते हैं कि “इससे ग़रीब औरत को कोई फ़ायदा नहीं होगा क्योंकि ग़रीब औरत का पति भी तो ग़रीब ही होगा, तो क्या वो अपना आधा ऑटो रिक्शा बाँटेगा?”
विरार धूलिया के मुताबिक विधेयक में इस बात का कोई ज़िक्र नहीं किया गया है कि पत्नी के पास जो संपत्ति है उसका क्या होगा.
वह यह दलील भी देते हैं कि जिस भी देश में प्रापर्टी में हिस्सेदारी का क़ानून आया है वहाँ शादी की दर कम हो गई है. लोगों ने शादी करनी बंद कर दी है. ऐसे में भारत के सामाजिक ताने-बाने पर इस क़ानून का बुरा असर होगा.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/hindi/india/2013/07/130719_marriage_law_ap.shtml 

Study finds divorced women’s trauma in securing alimony

Study finds divorced women’s trauma in securing alimony

NEW DELHI: While the Cabinet's decision on Wednesday may appear tipped in favour of women, a recent study shows that seeking maintenance through courts is fraught with delays and requires deep pockets. The countrywide study shows that in nearly 50% cases women did not seek maintenance from their husbands either because they lacked resources (41.5% women had no income after separation while 27% earned less than Rs 2,000 per month) or were unaware.

The government has set the ball rolling for bringing in an amendment to the marriage legislation that will give a woman right to the inherited or inheritable marital property. The compensation amount will be decided by the courts. Divorced or separated women in India have to depend on maintenance since there are no laws for sharing of marital property. The proposed law seeks to correct that but activists feel it does this only half-heartedly.

A survey — based on 405 divorced and separated women across the country — says that getting justice from courts has always been a gamble for women. The survey is part of the book "Separated and Divorced Women in India: Economic Rights and Entitlements in India'' authored by senior lawyer and AIDWA legal convener Kirti Singh. Women's rights activists have been consistently demanding a comprehensive legislation that would provide a women equitable share to marital property.

The survey found that vast majority (almost 60%) were living in marital homes acquired by in-laws and a large number (71%) were forced to live with their families post separation. After the separation 41.5% had no income and 27.4% earned less than Rs 2,000 per month. Although 58.5% surveyed were able to work outside their home, their earnings were too low for them to survive independently.

"In India there is absence of laws for division of marital property, when a separation or divorce takes place, the male spouse usually walks away with all moveable and immoveable assets of the household. The government's decision is just throwing women at the court's discretion and we have found that courts have been conservative in their decisions,'' Singh said.

Of the total, 47.4% (almost half) did not ask for maintenance after divorce. The reasons range from not knowing that they are entitled to ask for maintenance, to not having money to approach the courts or wishing not to be dependent on the spouse. As many as 48.8% of these maintenance cases are pending; in 41.8% of the case smaintenace had been allowed and in 9.4% of the cases their applications were dismissed. In 89 cases where maintenance was allowed, only 12 women reported receiving a satisfactory amount.

Of the 60 women who answered the question on the quantum of maintenance awarded to them, those with no income at all received merely 13% of the salary on an average for financial support. So not only were women given short shrift, they were also forced to wait for a long time before they received the paltry amount. Only in 35.6% of the cases filed in court, was maintenance granted within a year. The rest took anywhere between one and five years.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Study-finds-divorced-womens-trauma-in-securing-alimony/articleshow/21155954.cms 

IrBM Are new divorce laws anti-men?

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