Chhattisgarh High Court Advocates Against Color-Based Discrimination in Divorce Case

The Chhattisgarh High Court, in a recent judgment, took a strong stance against color-based discrimination as it upheld a family court’s decision to deny a man’s divorce plea. The husband had cited “cruelty” and claimed desertion by his spouse, but the court ruled in favor of the wife, who asserted that she had been insulted and ousted from her home due to her darker complexion.

The court criticized the husband, emphasizing the need for a change in societal dialogue that rejects preferences based on skin color. The judges, Justice Gautam Bhaduri and Justice Deepak Kumar Tiwari, highlighted studies on the role of skin color in partner selection and referenced the debate on fairness creams.

The court rejected providing an “incentive to promote a colorist mindset” and concluded that the husband failed to establish grounds for cruelty or desertion to warrant a divorce decree.