JAMMU & KASHMIR HIGH COURT
Hasnain Massodi, J.
Mohammad Naseem Bhat -Appellant
Versus
Bilquees Akhter & Anr. -Resopndent
561-A No. 158/2009, IA No. 336/2009
Decided On : 30-04-2012
Talaak - Maintenance under Section 488 Cr. P. C. - Jammu and Kashmir Shariat Act, 2007 - Chapter 30 verse 21 of Quran - Chapter 65 verse 1 and 2 of Quran - Chapter 4 Verse 35 of Surah Nisa - [Summary of Acts and Sections: Jammu and Kashmir Shariat Act, 2007, Section 488 Cr. P. C.] - The court discussed the fundamental sources of Shariat Law governing the Muslims in the matter of marriage, divorce, and other family matters, emphasizing the restrictions and requirements for a valid divorce (Talaak) under Quran and Sunna. The court highlighted the importance of reconciliation and the discouragement of divorce, especially Talaak bid'i, and the need for strict proof of the ingredients for a valid divorce. The court upheld the Revisional Court's order and directed the Trial Magistrate to determine the interim maintenance to be paid by the petitioner to the respondent.
Fact of the Case:
The petitioner sought quashment of the Revisional Court order that reversed the finding recorded by the Trial Court, disentitling the respondent from claiming maintenance under Section 488 Cr. P. C. The respondent, a Muslim wife, filed for maintenance after her husband claimed to have divorced her. The Trial Magistrate initially held the respondent to have been divorced and rejected her claim for maintenance, but the Revisional Court set aside the Trial Magistrate's order, leading to the present petition.
Finding of the Court:
The court analyzed the fundamental sources of Shariat Law governing the Muslims in the matter of marriage, divorce, and other family matters, emphasizing the restrictions and requirements for a valid divorce (Talaak) under Quran and Sunna. The court upheld the Revisional Court's order and directed the Trial Magistrate to determine the interim maintenance to be paid by the petitioner to the respondent.
Issues: The main issue revolved around the validity of the divorce claimed by the petitioner and the entitlement of the respondent to claim maintenance under Section 488 Cr. P. C.
Ratio Decidendi: The court emphasized the restrictions and requirements for a valid divorce (Talaak) under Quran and Sunna, highlighting the importance of reconciliation and the discouragement of divorce, especially Talaak bid'i, and the need for strict proof of the ingredients for a valid divorce.
Final Decision: The petition was dismissed, the order of the Revisional Court was upheld, and the Trial Magistrate was directed to determine the interim maintenance to be paid by the petitioner to the respondent.
2. Mohammad Naseem Bhat and Bilquees Akhter alias Bilquees Naseem — petitioner and respondent No. 1 in the present petition, contracted marriage on 24.08.2002 and out of wedlock Baby Kareena Naseem- respondent No. 2 in the petition, was born on 06.06.2003. They however, some time after respondent No. 2 was born, fell apart. The parties have their own versions as regards reasons for their separation.
3. Be that as it may, respondent No. 1 on her behalf and on behalf of her minor daughter-respondent No. 2 on 30.01.2006 filed an application under Section 488 Cr. P. C. in the Court of JMIC/3rd Additional Munsiff Srinagar. The respondent's case before the Trial Magistrate was that the present petitioner not happy that respon#31;dent No. 1 had begotten a female child, subjected her to inhuman treatment and threw her out along-with Baby Kareena Naseem from her marital home, leaving her without any source to fall back upon. It was insisted that the petitioner was a man of substance, had an income of Rs. 30,000/- per month and had sufficient resources to maintain the respondents. The respondents asked for Rs. 30,00/- per month to each of them, as maintenance allowance. The petitioner resisted the application on the grounds that he had divorced respondent No. 1 on 22.12.2005 and he was not under any obligation to pay maintenance allowance to respondent No. 1. The petitioner denied that the respondents were thrown out and insisted that the respondent No. 1 left his house on her own, taking with her all her belongings including ornaments and apparel and even got false and frivolous case registered against him at Women's Police Station, Rambagh, Srinagar.
4. Learned Trial Magistrate on perusal of pleadings and appreciation of evi#31;dence brought on the file, held respondent No. 1 to have been divorced by petitioner before respondent No. 1 approached the Trial Magistrate with her application under Section 488 Cr. P. C. and thus not entitled to receive any maintenance from the petitioner. However, the petitioner was directed to pay an amount of Rs. 1800/-per month to respondent No. 2 from the date of filing of the application.
5. The respondent aggrieved with the order of the Trial Magistrate dated 30.06.2009, whereby her claim for maintenance was rejected, questioned it through medium of a revision petition before 1st Additional Sessions Judge, Srinagar. Learned Revisional Court on perusal of the record and after making a survey of law on the subject, set aside the Trial Magistrate order dated 30.06.2009 holding it to be perverse, illegal and passed in a mechanical manner. The Revisional Court asked the Trial Magistrate to determine the quantum of maintenance allowance to which respondent was entitled in the facts and circumstances of the case.
6. The order of Revisional Court is questioned in the petition on hand on the grounds set out in the petition. It is insisted that the Trial Court order is well reasoned, in conformity with law and does not suffer from any error, illegality or impropriety so as to warrant interference under Section 435 Cr.P.C. The Revisional Court order, according to petitioner, amounts to abuse of process of Court and deserves to be quashed in exercise of inherent powers vested in the Court under Section 151-A Cr.PC.
7. I have gone through the petition as also Trial Court and Revisional Court record. I have heard Counsel for the parties.
8. Whether a Muslim husband has an absolute and unqualified power to pronounce divorce on his wife and wriggle out of his obligations under the marriage contract? Th
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