New Delhi: The Supreme Court has expressed serious concern on the increasing number of divorce cases in the country and asked the couples to sink their differences for the welfare and best interests of children.

The court said “ Divorce and custody battles can become quagmire and it is heart wrenching to see that the innocent child is the ultimate sufferer who gets caught up in the legal and psychological battle between parents. The eventful agreement about custody may often be a reflection of the parents’ interests, rather than the child’s. A Bench of Justices A.M. Kanwilkar and Rastogi said the issue in a child custody dispute is what will become of the child, but ordinarily the child is not a true participant in the process. While the best interests   principle requires that   the primary focus be on   the interests of the child, the child ordinarily does not define those interests himself or does he have representation in the ordinary sense.

The Bench noted that the child’s psychological balance is deeply affected through the marital disruption and adjustment for changes is affected by the way parents continue positive relationships.