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The Bombay High Court waived the six-month cooling-off period for Yuzvendra Chahal and Dhanashree Verma’s divorce, directing the family court to finalize proceedings by tomorrow, considering Chahal’s IPL commitments and compliance with settlement terms.
In a significant ruling, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday waived the mandatory six-month cooling-off period for Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal and his estranged wife, Dhanashree Verma, allowing their mutual divorce to proceed. The court also directed the family court to finalize the divorce decree by Thursday, considering Chahal’s IPL commitments. The ruling took into account their prolonged separation of over two and a half years and compliance with their settlement, which includes a ₹4.75 crore alimony agreement.
Justice Madhav Jamdar, who presided over the case, directed the family court to expedite the divorce proceedings and issue a decree by Thursday, considering Chahal’s upcoming participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL), says Bar and Bench report.
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The court’s decision factored in that Chahal and Verma had been living separately for over two and a half years. Additionally, the couple had reached a mediated settlement, including terms related to alimony payments, which the court found to be in compliance.
Under Section 13B(2) of the Hindu Marriage Act, couples seeking a mutual divorce must wait six months after filing their petition to explore reconciliation options. However, a 2017 Supreme Court ruling allows courts to waive this period if there is no possibility of reunion.
Chahal and Verma, who married in December 2020 and separated in June 2022, had jointly filed for divorce on February 5, 2024, requesting a waiver of the cooling-off period. However, the family court rejected their plea on February 20, citing only partial compliance with the settlement agreement.
The court noted that Chahal had yet to pay the full alimony amount of ₹4.75 crore, having transferred ₹2.37 crore so far. A report from the marriage counselor also indicated partial compliance with mediation efforts.
Following this, the couple approached the High Court, which ruled that the consent terms allowed for the remaining alimony to be paid after the divorce decree. Acknowledging full compliance with the agreement, the High Court overturned the family court’s decision and granted the waiver.
With the waiver approved, the family court is set to finalize the divorce decree by Thursday, bringing legal closure to Chahal and Verma’s marriage.
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