(a) the number of cases of divorce under different personal laws, filed in various courts in the country during each of the last three years, State- wise;
(b) whether rampant cases of divorce are attributable to inadequate provisions relating to maintenance of divorced and deserted wives; and
(c) if so, the steps being taken to update and make the law effective enough?
MINISTER OF LAW, JUSTICE AND COMPANY AFFAIRS AND SHIPPING (SHRI ARUN JAITLEY)
(a): No such information is maintained in the Ministry.
(b)&(c):Various legislations concerning women are regularly monitored and amendments are carried out wherever necessary. There is a proposal under consideration of the Government to make suitable amendments in Chapter IX of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 to remove the ceiling of maintenance and to provide for interim maintenance and expenses for proceedings and for disposal of the appplication for interim maintenance and expenses for proceedings, as far as possible, within sixty days from the date of service of notice. Legislative Department has also introduced a Bill namely,the Indian Divorce(Amendment) Bill, 2000 for removing gender bias in the grounds of divorce (Section 10 of the Indian Divorce Act, 1869). The same is pending before the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee for examination and report.