The Bombay High Court has directed the family court to decide on the divorce petition of Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal and his estranged wife, Dhanashree Verma, by March 20. The order was passed considering Chahal’s participation in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL), which begins on March 22.
Chahal and Verma, who married in December 2020 and separated in June 2022, had filed for divorce by mutual consent on February 5, 2025. Along with their petition, they requested an exemption from the cooling-off period. However, on February 20, the family court rejected this request, citing that there was only partial compliance with the agreed-upon financial terms.
According to the consent terms, Chahal was required to pay ₹4.75 crore as alimony to Verma. The family court observed that he had paid only ₹2.37 crore at that time. Additionally, a report from the marriage counselor noted that mediation efforts had not been fully complied with.
In response, the couple moved the High Court, arguing that the remaining alimony was scheduled to be paid after the divorce decree, as per the agreed settlement. The High Court accepted this argument and overturned the family court’s order, allowing the waiver of the cooling-off period.
The couple had approached the High Court seeking a waiver of the mandatory six-month cooling-off period stipulated under Section 13B of the Hindu Marriage Act. This period is usually provided to allow couples to reconsider their decision and explore reconciliation. However, in 2017, the Supreme Court ruled that this period could be waived in cases where there is no possibility of reunion.
Justice Madhav Jamdar granted their plea, noting that Chahal and Verma have been living separately for over two and a half years and had reached a settlement regarding alimony payments during mediation.
With this ruling, the family court has been directed to make a final decision on the divorce petition by March 20, as Chahal is set to join his IPL team, Kings XI Punjab, for the tournament starting March 22
