SC Rules Bridal Gifts, Jewellery Sole Property of Bride
News Desk
Islamabad: The Supreme Court(SC) has ruled that all jewellery and gifts received by a woman at the time of her marriage are her exclusive property, declaring that neither her husband nor her in-laws have any legal or proprietary claim over them.
In a detailed written judgement, the apex court held that whether the bride receives gold jewellery from her parents or bridal gifts from her in-laws, ownership of those items rests solely with the bride.
The three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, issued the ruling in a judgement authored by Justice Shakeel Ahmed.
The court also clarified that family courts have the legal jurisdiction to hear disputes involving the recovery of bridal jewellery and gifts and are empowered to decide such cases in accordance with the law.
Rejecting an appeal filed by the woman’s in-laws seeking the return of the jewellery, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that a woman is entitled to seek the recovery of her gold jewellery and other personal belongings from her husband or mother-in-law through the family court.
The judgement states that if a woman files such a claim, the family court is legally bound to hear and decide the matter under the applicable law.
The ruling strengthens the legal protection of bridal gifts and jewellery, affirming that such property belongs exclusively to the bride and cannot be taken from her without her consent. Additional input from Aaj News website.
