Participants of the women’s convention organised by the Assam Mahila Samata Society at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra on the concluding day. Picture by UB Photos

March 26: Guwahati has witnessed a marked rise in number of divorce cases in affluent and educated families over the past few years. The Assam State Women Commission has attributed the trend to professional rivalries between couples and the growing independence of the fairer sex.

The city had only three cases of divorce in 1993, the year the commission was established, but eight in 2002 and 18 in 2003.

“We have not completed this year but it is already higher than last year. One of the most common reasons is professional rivalry,” said Basanti Sarma, chairperson of the commission.

According to a study conducted by the commission, the growing influence of the West on the city’s lifestyle due to the advent of cable TV and liberalisation, wrong gender concepts and patriarchal culture are the causes for marital problems.

“It is difficult for the patriarchal society to accept the influence of women at the workplace, which also creates tension between spouses,” she said.

Of the two to three complaints received every month, the commission is able to solve around 50 per cent through counselling. There are also cases when the women seek maintenance allowance without going to the family court, which is handled by the counselling committee.

The commission’s counselling committee, comprising the chairperson, a policeman or woman, a lawyer and a counsellor, however, tries its best to resolve the differences by summoning both parties.

“We try to make both parties come to an understanding,” said Sarma. If it fails, the commission refers the matter to the family court.

Vice-chairman of the commission, Lily Rajbongshi, pointed out that the report was based only on the complaints lodged in the commission office and there are several cases that go unreported. Rajbongshi said, “People are not being able to cope with the rapid urbanisation, which can be one of the reasons for this problem.”

The number of divorce cases reported is much higher than the cases of dowry, rape, atrocities on women and kidnapping.

The Centre has set up family counselling centres and launched free legal aid schemes to bring about better understanding among spouses.