Wife has no right over in-laws’ own house: Court

A Delhi court has denied a woman the right to live in a house owned by her father-in-law, saying she has no right to a property which belongs exclusively to her parents-in-law.

A Delhi court has denied a woman the right to live in a house owned by her father-in-law, saying she has no right to a property which belongs exclusively to her parents-in-law.

The court added that the woman can seek the right to reside in a separate house which her husband had already rented.

Additional sessions judge Pulastya Pramachala gave the order on an appeal filed by the woman’s parents-in-law against a Mahila court order which directed them to allow their daughter-in-law back into house as it was a shared household.

“It is held that the daughter-in-law has no right in a property which exclusively belongs to her parents-in-law and such a property cannot be treated as a shared accommodation,” Pramachala said.

Relying on a Supreme Court verdict, the judge added that the woman is entitled to the right of residing in the house only if her husband owns the property or has a share in it.

The case was also remanded back to the Mahila court to decide on the woman’s claim of residence afresh.