‘If There Can Be Housewives, There Can Be House-Husbands’: Madras HC Calls For A New Normal

News india ‘If There Can Be Housewives, There Can Be House-Husbands’: Madras HC Calls For A New Normal

Last Updated:September 25, 2026, 12:24 IST

The judges noted that marriage could sometimes be perceived by women as an obstacle to career opportunities and also observed that the number of unmarried women was increasing.

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has observed that sharing domestic responsibilities between spouses could help strengthen marriages and the family structure while hearing a matrimonial dispute involving a doctor couple.

“If there can be a housewife, there can also be a house husband," the Bench observed while disposing of separate appeals filed by the couple against orders passed by the Family Court in Theni.

A Division Bench comprising Justices GR Swaminathan and MD Sumathi heard the matter.

Couple Married In 2011

The doctor couple, from Tiruvannamalai, were working at Sri Venkateshwara Medical College Hospital in Puducherry when they got married in 2011. Their first child, a son, was born in 2012.

The wife subsequently stayed with her parents to look after the child while her husband pursued higher studies in cardiology. The couple welcomed their second child in 2016.

After the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the couple began living together. However, differences later emerged between them.

The wife approached the Family Court seeking restitution of conjugal rights, while the husband filed a petition seeking divorce. Both petitions were dismissed, following which the couple filed separate appeals before the High Court.

‘Responsibility Of Maintaining Household Deserves Equal Respect’

During the proceedings, the Bench spoke about the importance of sharing responsibilities within a family.

“In our culture, the family is the fundamental unit. The responsibility of earning an income and the responsibility of maintaining the household deserve equal respect," the court observed.

The judges noted that marriage could sometimes be perceived by women as an obstacle to career opportunities and also observed that the number of unmarried women was increasing.

“This situation could change if husbands shared domestic responsibilities. If a ‘housewife’ role exists, a ‘house-husband’ role can also exist," the judges observed.

The Bench further said that making such an arrangement a social norm could help strengthen marriages and preserve the family structure.

The court also noted that the term “homemaker" is gender-neutral and referred to the Supreme Court’s repeated recognition of the economic value of the work performed by a wife as a homemaker.

Husband Agrees To Pay ₹2.5 Crore

During the proceedings, the husband agreed to pay Rs 2.5 crore to his wife, taking into account the welfare of their children. The wife also agreed to the arrangement.

Based on the mutual consent of both parties, the High Court granted divorce and disposed of the appeals.

The husband was directed to pay Rs 1.5 crore to the wife within three months of receiving a copy of the order. The amount is to be deposited directly into her bank account.

The court further directed that Rs 50 lakh each be deposited in the names of the couple’s two children within one year.

About the Author

Aanchal SinhaSub Editor

Aanchal is the Sub-Editor at News18.com, with more than four years of experience in national and international news. My work involves covering breaking news, politics, current affairs and developments...Read More

Read More