Govt plans legal steps to aid NRI couples

Concerned over the growing trend of holiday husbands, the government plans to include legal provisions in bilateral agreements with other countries by which, decrees by Indian courts — annulment, divorce, alimony and marriage — will stand scrutiny in foreign countries and vice-versa. The inter-ministerial sub-committee set up jointly by the ministries of Overseas Indian Affairs and Women and Child Development (WCD) made these recommendations in a meeting held recently. Among the recommendations that have been mooted are that bilateral agreements signed with foreign countries should include provisions like divorce order of foreign courts being effective only when endorsed by a court in India. The committee also suggested that a deserted woman should be allowed to be present in the foreign country where a divorce petition has been filed against her and the concerned foreign government should grant temporary visa for this purpose to the Indian woman. The foreign government should also issue instructions to its courts to decide such cases only after the requisite visa has been provided to the woman. The committee has also suggested that mutual legal assistance treaties should be signed with countries like USA, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand that have large diaspora populations. WCD ministry has supported these recommendations and asserted that steps can be taken to mitigate the suffering of women defrauded by NRI husbands. WCD ministry and National Commission for Women (NCW) are also keen to include provision of adequate alimony to the wife of husband living abroad. By Ms.Bobby Aanand, Metropolitan Jury.

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