Karnataka HC warns divorcing parents against disparaging each other before children

While dissolving the marriage of a couple, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday issued a significant directive asking both parties to refrain from making derogatory remarks about each other in the presence of their children.

The court underscored that parenthood does not cease with the end of matrimonial relations and that both parents must prioritise the welfare and emotional well-being of their children post-divorce. The bench noted that disparaging comments about either parent can adversely affect the psychological development of minors and damage their relationship with both guardians.

The judgment serves as a reminder to separating parents that maintaining decorum and restraint in discussions about their former spouse is crucial for the child's healthy upbringing. Such directives are increasingly common in family court proceedings across India, where judges emphasise that children should not become collateral damage in marital disputes.

The court granted the divorce petition while impressing upon both parties their continued moral and legal obligations towards their offspring. Legal experts note that such judicial pronouncements reflect growing judicial awareness of the long-term impact of parental alienation on children's mental health and social adjustment.