The Madras High Court has delivered a groundbreaking judgment that recognizes the immense value of a wife’s role as a homemaker, equating it to the contribution made by her working husband. In a ruling issued by Justice Krishnan Ramasamy, it was decreed that a homemaker who selflessly dedicates her time to caring for the family and sacrifices employment opportunities while her husband earns should be entitled to an equal share of all the properties acquired by the couple.
This landmark judgment comes at a time when the Tamil Nadu government has announced plans to provide a monthly salary of Rs 1,000 to unemployed married women who perform household work. The idea of recognizing and compensating women for their domestic contributions has been discussed by many governments in the past, and the Tamil Nadu government specifically made it a major campaign promise, though its implementation is still pending.
Unsurprisingly, this judgment has been met with enthusiasm and approval from numerous women’s groups and organizations, who see it as a long-overdue fulfillment of one of the key demands of the women’s movement.
It is worth noting that prior to the amendment made to the Hindu Succession Act of 1956 in 2005, women did not have the right to ancestral property. Similarly, the Indian Succession Act of 1925 also recognizes a woman’s entitlement to family property, but this recognition has been the result of prolonged legal battles and struggles.
In addition to affirming a woman’s right to her spouse’s property, the recent Madras High Court judgment goes a step further by acknowledging and validating the contributions made by women within the family, even though these contributions may often go unnoticed.
Rajshree, a practicing lawyer, points out that it is impossible to assign an exact monetary value to a woman’s care work within a family. Many women willingly sacrifice their careers to focus on childcare and family responsibilities. Even if they decide to return to work later on, they often face significant setbacks due to the gap in their employment history and are burdened with the constant juggling act of managing both work and family responsibilities.
Overall, the Madras High Court’s judgment not only upholds the rights of women to their spouse’s property but also serves as a significant recognition of their invaluable contributions to the smooth functioning of the family unit.