Indore: Couple Reuniting At Lok Adalat Held At Family Court On Saturday

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): In a touching moment at the family court during the National Lok Adalat in Indore, an elderly couple, married for over 36 years, decided to withdraw their mutual divorce petition and reunite.

The couple, Pratima Soni (53) and Deepak Kumar Soni (60) (names changed), were married in 1989 and have two daughters aged 32 and 22. Their decades-long relationship strained during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to growing emotional distance and a mutual divorce petition filed earlier this year under Section 13-B of the Hindu Marriage Act.

On Saturday, May 10, during the Lok Adalat proceedings before additional principal judge Rakesh Kumar Jain, court-guided counselling played a crucial role in their reconciliation. The couple reflected on their long-standing bond and the importance of mutual support in later life. Ultimately, they chose to give their marriage another chance.

The family court saw multiple such reconciliations during the National Lok Adalat. Judges, including principal judge KS Bariya, second additional principal judge SC Saxena, and additional principal judge Rakesh Kumar Jain, presided over the sessions.

The event was supported by advocates Pramod Joshi, Jitendra Singh Thakur, Pranay Sharma, Preeti Mehna and coordinated by court nazir Rakesh Gupta.

Out of 237 cases listed, 61 disputes were settled through compromise, including nine reunions between estranged couples.

In one such case, before principal judge KS Bariya, a young couple, Vinayak Kumar (34) and Aarti (28) (names changed), reunited after a year of separation. Married in 2020 and parents to a 2-year-old daughter, they withdrew their case under Section 9 of the Hindu Marriage Act after counselling emphasized their daughter’s well-being. Advocate HL Soni appeared in the case.

Another case, facilitated by judge SC Saxena, saw Anuja (24) and Akash Kumar (22) (names changed) reconcile after familial disputes had separated them. The primary cause - a strained relationship between Anuja and her mother-in-law - was resolved through dialogue and an apology. Anuja agreed to return home with her husband and infant daughter. Advocate Vijay Rathore represented the case.