Few instances over years do not amount to cruelty when reviewing marriage: Kerala HC - The HinduPublished - July 27, 2026 08:10 pm IST - KOCHIThe Kerala High Court, in a recent judgment, observed that married life should be reviewed as a whole, and a few isolated instances over the years would not amount to cruelty.The Division Bench of Justice A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Preeta A.K. was considering a matrimonial appeal by a husband challenging an order of the family court, Kannur, dismissing his petition for divorce on the ground of cruelty.The High Court held there was no reason to interfere with the family court’s order, finding it had appreciated the evidence in its correct perspective. The husband had argued that there was marital discord from the beginning, his wife had not gotten along with his friends and family, and that she had deceived him by claiming that she was a ‘civil diploma holder’. The family court assessed the contentions raised by the wife against the husband’s claims, and held that his allegations and evidence therein failed to prove that the wife had committed cruelty, and thus refused to grant divorce. The court observed that the concept of cruelty differed from person to person and that mere trivial irritations, quarrels, normal wear and tear of married life, which happen in day-to-day life, would not be adequate to grant a divorce on the ground of cruelty.Published - July 27, 2026 08:10 pm ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products${ ind + 1 } ${ device }Last active - ${ la }