Supreme Court Rules Bridal Gold Jewellery Is the Exclusive Property of the Bride

Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has ruled that gold jewellery and bridal gifts received by a bride at the time of marriage are her exclusive personal property and cannot be claimed by her husband or in-laws.

The ruling was issued by a three-member bench headed by the Chief Justice, with the written judgment authored by Justice Shakeel Ahmad.

According to the judgment, neither the husband nor his family has any ownership rights over the gold jewellery gifted to the bride. The court held that withholding a bride’s jewellery amounts to the unlawful deprivation of her property rights.

The Supreme Court further ruled that a wife is entitled to approach a Family Court to seek the return of her jewellery and other personal belongings.

The judgment also declared that gold gifted to the bride by her parents remains her personal property and is fully protected under the law.

The court clarified that Family Courts have complete jurisdiction to hear cases involving a wife’s personal belongings, including gold jewellery and other bridal gifts.

Dismissing the appeal in the case, the Supreme Court upheld that claims for the recovery of a bride’s jewellery against a husband or mother-in-law are maintainable before a Family Court.

The judgment also affirmed that all bridal gifts presented to the bride at the time of marriage are to be regarded as her exclusive personal property.