Report No. 90

Appendix 1

Grounds of Relief in Indian Matrimonial Law

Taken alphabetically, the grounds for divorce or other matrimonial relief (including nullity) in Indian matrimonial statutes can be thus enumerated arranging them alphabetically-

(a) Adultery.

(b) Bigamy.

(c) Conversion to another religion.

(d) Cruelty1 (under section 22, Indian Divorce Act, cruelty is a ground only for judicial separation).

(e) Desertion for a specified period.2

(f) Duress (ground of nullity).

(g) Fornication.3

(h) Fraud (ground for nullity or divorce)-Position in various Acts differs.

(j) Imprisonment.4

(k) Insanity.5 (1) Leprosy.6

[Mental abnormality-see "Insanity"]

(m) Non-consummation of marriage.7

(n) Non-resumption of cohabitation after decree for restitution or judicial separation.8

(o) Non-resumption of cohabitation after decree for maintenance.9

(p) Pregnancy. (Pre-marital pregnancy of the wife, by a person other than the husband-ground for nullity).

(q) Prostitution-Compelling the wife into.10

(r) Rape, sodomy or bestiality.11

(s) Renunciation of the world.12

(t) Unnatural offence.13

(u) Venereal disease.14

(Some of these grounds appear in the Indian Divorce Act also).

1. Cf section 13(1)(1a), H.M.A. ("treated with cruelty").

2. Cf section 13(1)(1b), H.M.A. (desertion for not less than two years).

3. Cf section 32(d), P.M.D.A.

4. Cf section 32(f), P.M.D.A. (Imprisonment for 7 years).

5. Cf. section 13(1)(iii), H.M.A. and section 32(b), P.M.D.A.

6. Cf. section 13(a)(iv), H.M.A.

7. Cf. section 32(a), P.M.D.A.

8. Cf. section 13(1A), H.M.A.

9. Cf. section 13(2)(ii), H.M.A.

10. Cf. section 32(e), P.M.D.A.

11. Cf section 32(2)(ii), H.M.A.

12. Cf. section 13(1)(vi), H.M.A.

13. Cf section 32(d), P.M.D.A.

14. Cf section 13(1)(v), H.M.A.