High Court to Decide: Whether Daughter-in-Law is a 'Child' or a 'Relative'?

May,16,2017:

Tribunal under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 had ordered eviction of Daughter-in-Law from her matrimonial home on the asking of Mother-in-Law.

Delhi High Court will consider Whether daughter-in-law falls in category of "children" or the "relatives" if she were to be evicted from her matrimonial home on a complaint made under Law for welfare of the parents.

The issue assumes importance as High Court had recently held that the parents could evict an abusive adult child from their home even if they did not own the property.

Based on this ruling, Tribunal set up under Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act of 2007 had ordered eviction of a woman from her matrimonial home on her mother-in-law's plea.

Order was challenged by the woman in Delhi High Court earlier this week. It came up for hearing before Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, who put has on hold tribunal's February 4 decision till next date of hearing on the issue on July 31.

High Court has issued notice to the woman's husband and the mother-in-law, seeking their replies to plea which contended that daughter-in-law was not covered in the definitions of 'children' and the 'relatives' under Senior Citizens Act.

Woman in her petition alleged that her husband and the mother-in-law were trying to evict her to counter a case that she had lodged against them under Domestic Violence Act.