Good news for those who want to use the word" Keep" /Concubones, not to so those who do not want to call women of the said descripttion keep or concubines on the
India
Supreme Court rejects plea to review verdict on 'keep' (Lead)
New Delhi |Wednesday, 2011 11:05:05 PM IST
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The Supreme Court Wednesday rejected a petition of women's organisation Mahila Dakshata Samiti seeking the review of its earlier verdict in which a woman cohabiting with a man was described as a "keep".
The apex court bench of Justice Markandey Katju and Justice T.S. Thakur said, "Having carefully gone through the review petition and connected papers, we see no reason to grant permission to Mahila Dakshata Samiti to file this review petition. Hence, the application for permission to file review petition is rejected."
The organisation sought the review of the court's Oct 21, 2010, judgment wherein it said: "If a man has a 'keep' whom he maintains financially and uses mainly for s*xual purpose and/or as a servant, it would not, in our opinion, be a relationship in the nature of marriage."
The petition said that the use of the expression 'keep' was derogatory. It discriminated against women on the grounds of marital status.
The review petition sought the expunction of the observation of the court and said it was not warranted in the case that was before it.
The court said that Mahila Dakshata Samiti's review petition could not be entertained, as it was not a party to the case either before the apex court, high court or the trial court.
The court made the observation while setting aside a Madras High Court verdict that recognised the "second" woman in the life of D. Velusamy as his "wife" and awarded her maintenance of Rs.500 per month.
The apex court held that both the trial court and the high court decided in favour of "second" wife D. Patchalammal without issuing notice to Valusamy's first wife Lakshmi and affording her a hearing.
Velusamy - senior grade teacher in Coimbatore - married Lakshmi June 25, 1980.
Velusamy married Patchalammal Sep 14, 1986. After staying together for two-three years at Patchalammal father's residence, Velusamy deserted her.
The court noted that Velusamy deserted Patchalammal either in 1988 or 1989. She moved the family court in 2001 seeking maintenance.
--Indo-Asian News Service pk/rah/vt
