High Court Denies Divorce over Diverse Spiritual Beliefs

The Uttarakhand High Court has turned down a woman's divorce plea, stating dissatisfaction over her husband's family's spiritual practices isn't a legitimate ground for ending the marriage. The woman argued that her husband’s devotional allegiance to spiritual leader Rampal effectively altered their shared religious identity away from Hinduism.

A division bench comprising Justice Ravindra Maithani and Justice Alok Mahara has suggested the couple undergo counseling to potentially reconcile. This decision emphasizes finding a middle ground rather than allowing religion-centric disagreements to drive a wedge in matrimonial bonds.

Despite an earlier rejection from a family court, the woman persisted, expressing that Hinduism is integral to her lifestyle. She highlighted her husband’s refusal to conduct the 'namkaran sanskar' for their son, reflecting the family's divergence from traditional Hindu rituals, which has been a source of marital discord.