Tolerance foundation of sound marriage, petty quibbles should not be blown out of proportion: SC

New Delhi: Tolerance, adjustment and respect are the foundation of a sound marriage and petty quibbles and trifling differences are mundane matters that should not be blown out of proportion to destroy what is said to have been made in the heaven, the Supreme Court said on Friday while quashing a dowry-harassment case filed by a woman against her husband.

The court said many times, the parents and close relatives of a married woman make a mountain out of a mole and instead of salvaging the situation and saving the marriage, their action brings about complete destruction of the marital bonds on trivial issues.

A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said the first thing that comes to the mind of the woman, her parents and relatives is police, as if police are the panacea of all evil.

No sooner the matter reaches police, even if there are fair chances of reconciliation between the spouses, they would get destroyed, the bench said.

“The foundation of a sound marriage is tolerance, adjustment and respecting one another. Tolerance to each other’s fault to a certain bearable extent has to be inherent in every marriage. Petty quibbles, trifling differences are mundane matters and should not be exaggerated and blown out of proportion to destroy what is said to have been made in the heaven.

“The court must appreciate that all quarrels must be weighed from that point of view in determining what constitutes cruelty in each particular case, always keeping in view the physical and mental conditions of the parties, their character and social status. A very technical and hyper-sensitive approach would prove to be disastrous for the very institution of marriage,” the bench said.

The court said the main sufferers in matrimonial disputes are the children.

“The spouses fight with such venom in their heart that they do not think even for a second that if the marriage would come to an end, then what will be the effect on their children. Divorce plays a very dubious role so far as the upbringing of the children is concerned.