“Homemakers Are Nation Builders”: Supreme Court’s Landmark Observation
In a major judgment that could impact compensation cases across India, the Supreme Court of India has ruled that the work done by homemakers inside their homes cannot be treated as having no financial value.
The court said that while calculating compensation in road accident death cases, the unpaid domestic services provided by a homemaker should be valued at a minimum of ₹30,000 per month.
“Loss of Domestic Care Must Be Monetised”
Announcing the ruling, Justice Sanjay Karol said:“We have evolved a new principle and laid down that loss of domestic care should be monetised as minimum ₹30,000 per month.”
The court clarified that this amount would be considered in addition to other compensation benefits available under existing legal guidelines.
Court Rejects Old Method of Calculation
The bench noted that courts often calculated a homemaker’s value by comparing her work with wages earned by skilled or unskilled labourers.
However, the Supreme Court said this approach fails to reflect the real contribution made by women who manage households, care for children, support elderly family members and perform countless daily responsibilities without receiving a salary.
According to the judges, the economic and social contribution of homemakers goes far beyond conventional employment benchmarks.
Case Began After Woman Died in Road Accident
The ruling came while hearing a compensation dispute related to a woman named Reshma, who died in a road accident in Punjab in 2001.
Her husband and children sought compensation, but the case remained tied up in litigation for more than two decades before reaching its final stage.
Expressing concern over such delays, the Supreme Court said motor accident compensation cases should normally be decided within one year.
“Such cases should be decided within a year usually,” the bench observed.
High Courts Asked to Speed Up Cases
The Supreme Court also urged Chief Justices of High Courts across the country to closely monitor accident compensation matters and ensure that families do not have to wait years for justice.
The court stressed that victims and their families deserve timely relief rather than prolonged legal battles.
Major Recognition for Millions of Homemakers
The verdict is being seen as an important recognition of the invisible labour performed by millions of women every day.
By describing homemakers as “nation builders,” the Supreme Court underlined that household work contributes significantly to society and should not be treated as economically worthless simply because it does not generate a monthly salary.
