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(2) A wife may also present a petition for the dissolution of her marriage by a |
decree of divorce on the ground- |
(i) in the case of any marriage solemnized before the commencement of this Act, |
that the husband had married again before the commencement or that any other |
wife of the husband married before such commencement was alive at the time of |
the solemnization of the marriage of the petitioner: |
Provided that in either case the other wife is alive at the time of the presentation of |
the petition; |
(ii) that the husband has, since the solemnization of the marriage, been guilty of |
rape, sodomy or bestiality; or |
(iii) that in a suit under Section 18 of the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, |
(78 of 1956), or in a proceeding under Section 125 of the Code of Criminal |
Procedure, 1973, (Act 2 of 1974) or under corresponding Section 488 of the Code |
of Criminal Procedure, (5 of 1898), a decree or order, as the case may be, has |
been passed against the husband awarding maintenance to the wife |
notwithstanding that she was living apart and that since the passing of such decree |
or order, cohabitation between the parties has not been resumed for one year or |
upwards;or |
(iv) that her marriage (whether consummated or not) was solemnized before she |
attained the age of fifteen years and she has repudiated the marriage after |
attaining that age but before attaining the age of eighteen years. |
Explanation.- This clause applies whether the marriage was solemnized before or |
after the commencement of the Marriage Law (Amendment) Act, 1976. |
13-A. Alternate Relief in Divorce Proceedings.- If any proceeding under this |
Act, on a petition for dissolution of marriage by a decree of divorce, except in so |
far as the petition is founded on the grounds mentioned in clauses (ii), (vi) and |
(vii) of sub-section (1) of Section 13, the court may, if it considers it just so to do |
having regard to the circumstances of the case, pass instead a decree for judicial |
separation. |
13-B. Divorce by mutual consent.-(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act a |
petition for dissolution of marriage by a decree of divorce may be presented to the |
District Court by both the parties to a marriage together, whether such marriage |
was solemnized before or after the commencement of the Marriage Laws |
(Amendment) Act, 1976, on the ground that they have been living separately for a |
period of one year or more, that they have not been able to live together and that |
they have mutually agreed that the marriage should be dissolved. |
(2) On the motion of both the parties made earlier than six months after the date |
of the presentation of the petition referred to in sub-section (1) and not later than |
eighteen months after the said date, if the petition is not withdrawn in the mean |
time, the Court shall, on being satisfied, after hearing the parties and after making |
such inquiry as it thinks fit, that a marriage has been solemnized and that the |
averments in the petition are true, pass a decree of divorce declaring the marriage |
to be dissolved with effect from the date of the decree. |
14. No petition for divorce to be presented within one year of marriage.- |
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, it shall not be competent for |
any Court to entertain any petition for dissolution of marriage by a decree of |
divorce, unless at the date of the presentation of the petition one year has elapsed |
since the date of the marriage: |
Provided that the court may, upon application made to it in accordance with such |
rules as may be made by the High Court in that behalf, allow a petition to be |
presented before one year has elapsed since the date of the marriage on the |
ground that the case is one of exceptional hardship to the petitioner or of |
exceptional depravity on the part of the respondent, but, if it appears to the court |
at the hearing of the petition that petitioner obtained leave to present the petition |
by any mis-representation or concealment of the nature of the case, the court may, |
if it pronounces a decree, do so subject to the condition that the decree shall not |
have effect until after the expiry of one year from the date of the marriage or may |
dismiss the petition without prejudice to any petition which may be brought after |
the expiration of the said one year upon the same or substantially the same facts |
as those alleged in support of the petition so dismissed. |
(2) In disposing of any application under this section for leave to present a petition |
for divorce before the expiration of one year from the date of the marriage, the |
court shall have regard to the interests of any children of the marriage and to the |
question whether there is a reasonable probability of a reconciliation between the |
parties before the expiration of the said one year. |
15. Divorced persons. When may marry again.- When a marriage has been |
dissolved by a decree of divorce and either there is no right of appeal against the |
decree or, if there is such a right of appeal, the time for appealing has expired |
without an appeal having been presented, or an appeal has been presented but has |
been dismissed, it shall be lawful for either party to the marriage to marry again. |
16. Legitimacy of children of void and voidable marriages.- |
(1) Notwithstanding that a marriage is null and void under Section 11, any child of |
such marriage who would have been legitimate if the marriage had been valid, |
shall be legitimate, whether such a child is born before or after the commencement |
of the Marriage Laws (Amendment) Act, 1976, and whether or not a decree of |
nullity is granted in respect of the marriage under this Act and whether or not the |
marriage is held to be void otherwise than on a petition under this Act. |
(2) Where a decree of nullity is granted in respect of a voidable marriage under |
Section 12, any child begotten or conceived before the decree is made, who would |
have been the legitimate child of the parties to the marriage if at the date of the |
decree it had been dissolved instead of being annulled, shall be deemed to be their |
legitimate child notwithstanding the decree of nullity. |
(3) Nothing contained in sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) shall be construed as |
conferring upon any child of a marriage which is null and void or which is annulled |
by a decree of nullity under Section 12, any rights in or to the property of any |
person, other than the parents, in any case, where, but for the passing of this Act, |
such child would have been incapable of possessing or acquiring any such rights by |
reason of his not being the legitimate child of his parents. |
17. Punishment of Bigamy.- Any marriage between two Hindus solemnized after |
the commencement of this Act is void if at the date of such marriage either party |
had a husband or wife living; and the provisions of Sections 494 and 495 of the |
Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) shall apply accordingly. |
18. Punishment for contravention of certain other conditions for a Hindu |
marriage.- Every person who procures a marriage of himself or herself or to be |
solemnized under this Act in contravention of the conditions specified in clauses |
(iii), (iv), and (v) of Section 5 shall be punishable- |
(a) in the case of a contravention of the condition specified in clause (iii) of Section |
5, with simple imprisonment which may extend to fifteen days, or with fine which |
may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both; |
(b) in the case of a contravention of the condition specified in clause (iv) or clause |