A district court in Pune witnessed a controversial exchange during a domestic violence case mediation when a judge questioned a woman about not wearing sindoor and mangalsutra. The judge asked, “If you don’t behave like a married woman, why would your husband show any interest in you?” The remark has since sparked outrage on social media.
Lawyer’s LinkedIn Post Brings Incident to Light
The incident was shared by Pune-based disputes lawyer Ankur R Jahagirdar in a LinkedIn post that has now gone viral. According to him, the judge was trying to encourage a separated couple to reconcile when he made the comment about the woman’s appearance.
This isn’t an isolated case. Jahagirdar recalled another incident where a judge urged his female client to “show some flexibility” during mediation over maintenance demands. The judge reportedly remarked, “If a woman is earning well, she will always look for a husband who earns more than her and will never settle for someone who earns less. However, if a man who earns well is looking to marry, he might even marry a maid who washes utensils in his house. Look how flexible men are. You should also show some flexibility. Don’t be so rigid.”
Past Court Judgments Have Sparked Similar Debates
This is not the first time a woman has been criticized in court for not wearing traditional symbols of marriage. In 2022, the Madras High Court granted a man a divorce, stating that his wife not wearing a mangalsutra amounted to “mental cruelty of the highest order.”
‘Patriarchy Club’ in the Legal System?
Jahagirdar, reflecting on his experiences, pointed out that these incidents highlight deeper biases in the judicial system. He noted that despite such remarks being inappropriate, there is little recourse available for those affected.
“Unfortunately, I think our society has a baseline tolerance for some outrageous things. Why it is this way is obvious—the first rule of patriarchy club is you do not talk about the patriarchy club,” he wrote.
His post has reignited discussions on gender biases in India’s legal system, with many calling for greater accountability and sensitivity in courtrooms.