The Supreme Court on Wednesday stepped in to bring closure to a marriage that, as the judges themselves noted, had existed mostly on paper for nearly two decades. Hearing a long-running dispute between two government school teachers from Punjab, the top court dissolved the marriage by invoking its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution.
The matter came up before a Bench led by Justice Vikram Nath, where both parties were present in person. The courtroom atmosphere was subdued, with the judges making a clear attempt to understand whether any reconciliation was still possible. It wasn’t.
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Background
Jatinder Kumar and Jeewan Lata were married in June 2003 in Morinda, Punjab. No children were born from the marriage. Both continued their careers as teachers in government schools.
According to the husband, the relationship began to deteriorate within a couple of years. He alleged neglect during a medical emergency, disputes over documents, and eventually claimed that his wife left the matrimonial home in 2005 and never returned. Multiple legal proceedings followed, including a withdrawn petition seeking restitution of conjugal rights and later a divorce plea on grounds of cruelty and desertion.
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The trial court rejected the divorce plea in 2012, finding the allegations unproven. The Punjab and Haryana High Court affirmed that decision in 2014, forcing the husband to approach the Supreme Court.
Court’s Observations
During the hearing, the Bench noted that regardless of disputed allegations, one fact was undeniable: the parties had been living separately for around 20 years. Attempts at mediation, including referral to the Supreme Court Mediation Centre, had failed.
“The continuance of the marital bond, in such circumstances, would serve no meaningful purpose and would only prolong the agony of both parties,” the Bench observed, signalling its inclination to end the stalemate.
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While the wife opposed divorce and argued that the husband had not made sincere efforts to reconcile, the court felt that the marriage had clearly broken down beyond repair. The judges emphasised that Article 142 exists precisely to do “complete justice” where rigid application of law would only perpetuate hardship.
Decision
Invoking Article 142, the Supreme Court dissolved the marriage, setting aside the earlier orders of the trial court and the High Court. On the issue of financial settlement, the Bench took note that both parties were government teachers. Although the husband initially offered ₹15 lakh as permanent alimony, the court fixed the amount at ₹20 lakh as a one-time full and final settlement.
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The court directed that the amount be paid within two months, after which the decree of divorce would be formally drawn up. It also ordered that any pending civil or criminal cases between the parties would stand closed, bringing an end to all litigation between them.
Case Title: Jatinder Kumar vs. Jeewan Lata
Case No.: Civil Appeal arising out of SLP (C) No. 35588 of 2025 @ D. No. 17190 of 2024
Case Type: Civil Appeal (Matrimonial Dispute – Divorce under Hindu Marriage Act / Article 142)
Decision Date: December 18, 2025
