Men must unlearn notion that marriage entitles them to unquestioned authority: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court, in a significant ruling under Section 498A IPC, declared that marriage does not give men absolute authority over their wives. The bench condemned patriarchal attitudes and held that cruelty—mental or physical—violates a woman’s dignity under Article 21. The judgment reaffirms the principles of equality within marriage and highlights the judiciary’s evolving stance on gender justice. It also calls for social reform, urging men to shed outdated notions of dominance in marital relationships.