Homemaker's work no less than salary-earning spouse's, says Supreme Court
The Supreme Court (SC) said on Friday that the work of a homemaker holds equal value as that of a salary-earning spouse, calling their contributions "invaluable." According to SC Justices KV Viswanathan and Suryan Kant, "The role of a homemaker is as important as that of a family member whose income is tangible." The statement reportedly came while the apex court was hearing a motor accident case involving the death of a Uttarakhand woman in 2006.
Know about 2006 motor accident case
In the accident case mentioned above, the vehicle in which the deceased woman was traveling wasn't insured. Due to this, the liability fell on the vehicle's owner to pay her family the compensation. It's also learned that a motor accident claims tribunal awarded the victim woman's husband and minor son damages worth Rs. 2.5 lakh. The family filed an appeal at the Uttarakhand High Court for higher compensation, but their plea was dismissed in 2017.
Details on dismissed plea at Uttarakhand HC
The high court stated in its ruling that she was a "homemaker" and hence the compensation had to be established based on her life expectancy and bare minimum notional income. It also found no flaws in the tribunal's decision, which considered the woman's notional income as less than that of a daily laborer. However, the SC disagreed with this view, stating, "How can a homemaker's income be treated...less than that of a daily wager? We don't accept such an approach."
Here's what SC bench said on 2006 motor accident case
During Friday's hearing, the apex court also said that tribunals and courts ought to calculate the notional income of "homemakers" based on their work, labor, and sacrifices in motor accident claim cases. "If the activities performed by a homemaker are computed one by one, there cannot be any doubt that the contribution is of a high order and is invaluable," the bench said. "In fact, it is difficult to compute her contributions only in monetary terms," it added.
Nearly 160 million women reported 'household work' as primary occupation
The ruling by the SC aims to recognize and monetize the value of women involved in unpaid household work. As per the 2011 census, nearly 159.85 million women reported "household work" as their primary occupation, compared to only 5.79 million men. The SC bench has increased the compensation to Rs. 6 lakh and instructed it to be paid to the family within six weeks, remarking, "One should never underestimate the value of a homemaker."
