The Allahabad High Court has declined to accept a husband's contention that non-observance of parda' (veil) by his wife would entitle him to obtain divorce on the grounds of mental cruelty. A bench of Justices Saumitra Dayal Singh and Donadi Ramesh was hearing an appeal filed by the appellant-husband against the dismissal of his petition seeking divorce on grounds of mental cruelty and desertion.

The Allahabad high court rules that a wife's decision not to wear a 'parda' in public does not amount to cruelty that justifies divorce. It dismisses

However, the court granted divorce on the other ground that husband and wife had been living separately for more than 23 years now

The Allahabad HC ruled that a woman's refusal to adhere to the 'purdah' tradition is not cruelty towards her spouse, and cannot justify divorce. The judgement came as the court granted divorce on other grounds,