5 Laws You Should Know If You Are An Indian Married Woman

Every citizen has constitutional rights so that they can live a life free from oppression. These rights include right to education, right to freedom, right to choose religion etc. In a similar way, we also have laws for every Indian married woman to ensure that they get to live with dignity and without discrimination. It is important for women to be aware of their marital rights because in most marriages, they are the ones required to assume a subjugated role and become victims to oppression. Being ignorant of the laws customised for them to live a hassle free married life can lead to further complications. These are 5 laws every Indian married woman in India should know.

1. It is illegal for your husband to abuse you verbally or call you fat

If your husband calls you 'ugly' or 'fat' or insults you by calling names such as 'buffalo', it amounts to cruelty. Abusing you verbally can form enough grounds for divorce. In 2015, the Punjab and Haryana High Court allowed a woman from Mahendergarh, Haryana to divorce her husband based on the grounds of verbal abuse. The woman faced repeated physical and mental torture from her husband and in laws. He would taunt her for her dark skin colour calling her 'Kali kaluti' and would also hurl verbal abuses at her for not preparing food. There were enough evidences to prove the woman's claims, thus the court approved her demand for divorce.

2. Right to live with dignity and self-respect

Under this right, every Indian married woman is entitled to have the same lifestyle as her husband and in-laws. Moreover, she should be free from any physical and mental torture. The Constitution doesn't give the in-laws or husband of any married woman the right to treat her with inhumanity.

3. Right to Streedhan

Streedhan refers to the gifts every Indian married woman receives during the wedding ceremonies and the birth of her baby. It also includes all movable and immovable property and money. According to this provision, a woman has the ownership of her assets even after separation from her husband. The key behind this right is financial security. But this right is limited to Hindu married women only. This right is protected under section 14 of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956.

4. Right to the maintenance after divorce (Muslim Law)

If a Muslim woman gets divorced, she must receive her maintenance charges from her husband till the iddat period ends. It is the time she is required to observe after her separation from her husband during which she cannot marry another man. If she remains unmarried after the tenure ends or is unable to sustain herself, she can ask for maintenance from her parents or District Waqf Board. This is stated in Section 4 of the Muslim Women (Protection of rights on divorce) Act.

5. Right to Paternal Property

According to the amendment made in the Hindu Succession Act in 2005, every daughter can inherit her father's property on his death. She also has a share in the mother's property. Therefore, every Indian married woman has the right to inherit the property their parents owned.

Could you state more such laws which every Indian married woman should know of, for a happy married life?

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