City child’s ‘Thank you’ note moves SC judges

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 10

A “Thank you” note from a Chandigarh boy to the Supreme Court for settling all 23 cases filed by his parents against each other and granting them divorce by mutual consent moved the judges, who made the hand-written note a part of their judgment.

“God always has something for you: A KEY for every problem, A LIGHT for every shadow, A RELIEF for every sorrow and A PLAN for every tomorrow,” wrote the 10-year-old boy and handed over to court after the seven-year matrimonial dispute between his parents was finally resolved.

The hand-written colourful note by 10-year-old child and his great insight into life moved Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Mohan M Shantanagoudar who termed it “rich encomium paid to the Court” by the boy.

The little one present in the Court on March 5 was exuberantly happy and sought liberty to present a handmade card expressing his joy on the settlement of all disputes and litigations between his mother and father and the Bench readily obliged him.

The judges started the judgment with it and a scanned copy of the child’s hand-written “thank you” note appeared on page one of the March 5 verdict.

The couple, who got married as per Hindu rites on May 18, 1997, – ad a daughter and a son and they had filed 23 civil and criminal cases against each other in district courts, Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Supreme Court.

On account of marital discord and temperamental differences, they have been living separately since March, 2011, and several attempts to reach an amicable settlement failed despite the intervention of Justice Lisa Gill of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and senior counsel Meenakshi Arora who was appointed by the top court as mediator in the case.

Having noticed that all efforts had not been fully fruitful, the Bench asked the parties to be present before it.

“The parties have cooperated with the tireless efforts taken by this Court. It is heartening to note that finally the parties have reached an amicable settlement,” the top court noted in its verdict and went on to grant them divorce by mutual consent instantly, waving the six-month statutory waiting period.

It directed the husband to transfer his share in agricultural land situated in Panchkula district in favour of his now divorced wife and two children.

Directing them to strictly abide by the terms of settlement, the Bench restrained them from instituting any fresh litigation in respect of their matrimonial dispute without its prior permission.