The Bombay High Court has on Wednesday (March 19, 2025) directed family court to decide the divorce plea of Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal and his estranged wife Dhanashree Verma by March 20. (More Cricket News)
The court allowed a plea filed by Chahal and Verma, seeking to waive the cooling-off period of six months stipulated under Section 13B of the Hindu Marriage Act for a divorce decree.
A single bench of Justice Madhav Jamdar said Chahal would not be available from March 21 as he has to participate in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The cricketer and Verma had filed a divorce plea in a family court in Mumbai on February 5.
They had submitted a petition mutually seeking for the cooling off period be waived as their divorce was by mutual consent. But the family court on February 20 refused to waive it. The duo then challenged the family court's order in the high court.
Under the Hindu Marriage Act, every couple has to undergo the six-month cooling-off period before they are granted divorce. Justice Jamdar of the high court allowed the petition.
"As the petitioner No 1 (Chahal) is a participant of IPL, the advocate informs that he may not be available post March 21. The family court is hence requested to decide their divorce plea by tomorrow (March 20)," HC said.
Out-of-favour India leg-spinner Chahal is part of the Punjab Kings team for IPL 2025 that is scheduled to start on March 22.
(With PTI inputs)
