PIL seeking implementation of prenuptial agreements filed in Raj high court

Jaipur: The Rajasthan high court will hear a petition seeking implementation of prenuptial agreements. The PIL requests the court to direct the state and central governments to make prenuptial agreements mandatory before marriage. This will make dispute resolutions easier in the events of divorce or the death of a spouse, the PIL says.

The PIL that was filed in the court by lawyer Ravikant Agarwal has made the central and state governments a party. The PIL says that thousands of cases are pending in the courts in the state and in many cases, laws related to dowry harassment and domestic violence are being misused for settling property disputes after divorces. The petitioner said that the prenuptial agreements would discourage people to register these types of bogus cases and pave way for speedy resolution of disputes.

The PIL refers to prenuptial agreements being in practice in several developed countries including America, the Netherlands and Belgium.

Prenuptial agreement is a legal document prepared by a couple before they marry. The agreement specifies ownership of their respective assets in case of divorce or death of a spouse.

The petition seeks intervention of the Rajasthan high court in directing the state and central governments to make prenuptial agreements mandatory before marriage.

Nearly 10,000 cases related to marital disputes and child custody are pending in the family courts of Jaipur district alone.