Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal and dance choreographer Dhanashree Verma, have been granted divorce by mutual consent by the Bandra Family Court. The development follows a Bombay High Court order directing the family court to expedite the proceedings in light of Chahal’s participation in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament.
The estranged couple, who tied the knot in December 2020, had been living separately since June 2022. They filed a joint petition for divorce on February 5, 2024. However, the family court had initially refused to waive the mandatory six-month cooling-off period prescribed under the Hindu Marriage Act, citing partial compliance with the consent terms.
Chahal and Verma subsequently approached the Bombay High Court, challenging the family court’s February 20 order that denied the waiver. The High Court, taking note of the specific circumstances, granted relief and instructed the family court to decide on their divorce plea by March 20. Justice Madhav Jamdar, while passing the order, remarked, "Petitioner No. 1 (Chahal) is participating in the IPL and might not be available after March 21. The family court is hence requested to decide their divorce plea by tomorrow (March 20)."
The primary ground for the family court’s initial reluctance to waive the cooling-off period was that Chahal had not fully complied with the financial obligations under the consent terms. As per the agreement, he was required to pay ₹4.75 crore as permanent alimony to Verma, out of which ₹2.37 crore had been paid. However, the High Court, taking a broader view of the matter, noted that the consent terms allowed the second installment of the alimony to be paid after the decree of divorce was granted.
Thus, the High Court observed that compliance had indeed been achieved, allowing the waiver of the cooling-off period and directing an expedited decision.
Following the High Court’s directions, the Bandra Family Court granted the divorce decree on March 20. Advocate Nitin Gupta, representing Chahal, confirmed the development, stating, "The family court has accepted the joint petition filed by Chahal and Verma seeking divorce by mutual consent. The parties are no longer husband and wife."
Under Section 13B(2) of the Hindu Marriage Act, the six-month cooling-off period is generally mandated to provide couples an opportunity to reconsider their decision. However, the Supreme Court has, in previous rulings, clarified that courts have the discretion to waive this period if the couple has been living separately for a significant duration and there is no possibility of reconciliation.
The case of Chahal and Verma aligns with these exceptions, as they had been living apart for over two and a half years, and mediation efforts had already concluded with an agreed-upon settlement. With the legal formalities now completed, Chahal can focus on his professional commitments as he gears up for the IPL 2025, where he is set to play for Punjab Kings.
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