The Allahabad High Court made an unusual observation while hearing an alimony case involving an elderly couple, aged 76 and 80. The court expressed concerns over such legal battles, stating that “it seems that ‘Kalyug’ has arrived,” a reference to the age of conflict and sin in Hinduism.

Munesh Kumar Gupta, an 80-year-old retired health supervisor, and his wife, 76 have been engaged in a property dispute since 2018, which escalated and the couple was referred to a family counselling centre.

As attempts at resolution failed, Gupta and his wife began living separately. Subsequently, the woman filed a petition in a family court, demanding alimony of Rs 15,000 from her husband, whose monthly pension is Rs 35,000.

On February 16, the court ordered Gupta to pay Rs 5,000 in alimony. However, he challenged this decision at the Allahabad High Court.

During the hearing on Tuesday, High Court Justice Saurabh Shyam Shamshery said, “It seems that Kalyug has arrived. Such legal battles are a matter of concern.”

He issued a notice to the woman and expressed hope that the couple would reach a settlement by the next hearing.

In a similar case, an elderly couple’s divorce plea was referred to a bench of the Gujarat High Court in 2022 after mediation attempts failed.

The 72-year-old man, a medical practitioner, and his 65-year-old wife had been embroiled in this legal battle since 2006. They married 41 years ago in 1980, but disputes arose just four years later, leading to a series of legal complications.

The man sought divorce and challenged a Family Court order that awarded his wife Rs 20,000 in alimony per month.