In a twist that sounds straight out of a courtroom drama or maybe a dark comedy, a husband has asked his high-ranking wife for alimony. Yes, you read that right. For once, it’s not the man who’s writing the cheque.
Alok Kumar, who once worked as a safai karamchari (sanitation worker) in the Panchayati Raj department, married Jyoti Maurya in 2010. Back then, she was just another ambitious woman. And like every “supportive” husband, Alok did what any good man would do—he encouraged her to study, supported her through thick and thin, and helped her crack the PCS exam in 2015. She went on to become an SDM. The fairy tale ended there.
According to Alok, the minute Jyoti got the government tag and official status, her attitude—and priorities—took a wild turn. The love story quickly turned into a courtroom saga, with Jyoti filing for divorce. But Alok wasn’t about to walk away empty-handed. In a rare but rather symbolic role reversal, he approached the Family Court under Section 24 of the Hindu Marriage Act, demanding monthly maintenance from his now-estranged officer wife.
However, the Family Court in Prayagraj didn’t quite appreciate the irony or the argument and promptly rejected his petition. But Alok wasn’t done. He took the matter to the Allahabad High Court, which has now issued notices to Jyoti, signalling the start of what could be a very public and very awkward legal battle.
Let’s be honest: for decades, we’ve seen wealthy husbands paying off wives in massive divorce settlements. So maybe this is karma or just 2025’s way of redefining gender roles. Either way, a man demanding alimony from his bureaucrat wife is sure to ruffle a few feathers.
Now all eyes are on the High Court. Will the scales of justice finally balance for Indian men, or is this just another courtroom circus in the making?
