NEW DELHI: “Aap itni padi likhi hain. Aapko khud maangna nahi chahiye, aapko khud kama ke khana chahiye” (You are well educated; you should not ask for things but rather earn your living), the Chief Justice of India (CJI) told a woman who was seeking excessive maintenance from her estranged husband in a marital dispute case.The woman had approached the apex court demanding a luxury flat in Mumbai, Rs 12 crore in maintenance, and a BMW car.The CJI observed that the demands were excessive and slammed her for making such extravagant claims, suggesting instead that she should work and earn a living, given her qualifications.When the woman insisted on having a luxury flat in a particular area, the CJI responded, “But that house is in Kalpataru, which is built by one of the top builders.”The court advised her to pursue a career in her field, noting that she had a background in IT. “You have done your MBA. You are in demand in Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Why don’t you work?” asked the CJI.Questioning the rationale behind such a large alimony claim, the court remarked, “You were married for just 18 months. And you want a BMW?”“You are practically asking for an alimony of Rs 1 crore for every month of your 18-month marriage,” the CJI noted.In her defense, the woman justified her demand based on her husband’s wealth and accused him of abandoning her unfairly.“He is very rich. He sought annulment, claiming I’m schizophrenic. Do I look schizophrenic, my lords?” she said to the bench.The woman further argued that her husband, a former Citibank manager who now reportedly runs two businesses had forced her to quit her job.Due to the extravagant maintenance claim, the court examined the husband’s tax returns, as his lawyers argued that his income had declined after he left his job.After hearing both sides, the CJI advised the woman to “be satisfied” with the flat and take up a “good job”.In a constructive suggestion, the court told her:, You better take those four crore, find a good job in Pune, Hyderabad, or Bangalore. There is demand in IT centres.”Supporting the CJI’s view, senior advocate Madhavi Divan, representing the husband, said the woman must also take responsibility for her livelihood. “She has to work too. Everything cannot be demanded like this,” Divan said.
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