India, May 17 -- A wife's inability or refusal to perform household chores such as cooking and cleaning does not amount to cruelty under law, the Bombay High Court has ruled, stating that marriage is "a partnership of equals" and not a "service contract".

Setting aside a Bandra family court 2010 order that had granted divorce to a Malad-based man, a division bench of justices Bharati Dangre and Majusha Deshpande said ordinary domestic disagreements did not meet the legal threshold for cruelty under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.

"For grant of divorce on the ground of cruelty, the actions complained of must be severe and cause extreme mental or physical violence rather than ordinary household disagreements," the court said.

It added that...