Thakur Krishen Singh vs Smt. Simro Devi

This appeal is directed against the judgment dated March 26, 1974, of the learned Addl. District Judge, Jammu, whereby he dismissed the

application brought by the appellant herein for divorce u/s 13(1)(viii) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, Act No. VII of 1955 hereinafter referred

to as 'the Act'.

It appears that the respondent herein obtained a decree for judicial separation from the Court of the District Judge, Jammu, on May 20, 1971,

against the appellant on the ground that the latter had been guilty of desertion and cruelty as contemplated by clauses (a) and (b) of sub-section (1)

of S. 10 of the Act. On December 29, 1972 the appellant made the aforesaid application praying that since the respondent had not resumed

cohabitation for a period of two years after the passing of the aforesaid decree for judicial separation in spite of several attempts made by him, a

decree for divorce dissolving the marriage be passed in his favour.

On appearing before the Court in response to the notice given by it, the respondent took a preliminary objection regarding the maintainability of

the aforesaid application. Her contention in substance was that clause (viii) of sub-section (1) of S. 13 of the Act can be availed of by that spouse

alone at whose instance a decree for judicial separation has been passed and since in the instant case the decree was passed at her instance, the

application was not tenable. The plea raised by the respondent found favour with the learned Additional District Judge, Jammu who dismissed the

application as stated above.

Appearing in support of the appeal, Mr. Gupta has strenuously urged that a decree for judicial separation can be availed of by either spouse and

if the cohabitation is not resumed for a period of two years or upwards after the passing of the decree, any one of the spouses can come forward

and pray for a decree for divorce under Sec. 13 of the Act.

We are afraid we cannot accede to this contention. The phraseology of clause (viii) of sub-section (1) of S. 13 of the Act is clear. The words

'against that party' occurring herein leave no room for doubt that it is only the injured spouse who has obtained the decree for judicial separation

i.e. at whose instance a decree for judicial separation has been passed, that can make an application under the said clause of Section 13(1) of the

Act. If the intention of the legislature had been that either party can avail of the decree, it would have said so in clear terms. We are fortified in our

view by the decision of the Punjab High Court in Shri Waryam Singh Vs. Smt. Pritpal Kaur, where it was held as follows:

The argument that there is no justification either in principle or logic to make a distinction between the two spouses after a decree for judicial

separation has been passed overlooks altogether the essential nature of decrees which tend to break loose the marriage ties. It is well to remember

that the marriage under many systems of jurisprudence was a sacred union and it is only lately that a divorce or a judicial separation has received

the sanction of law. A decree for judicial separation or dissolution of marriage is not to be lightly granted and it is only in cases of specified

matrimonial wrongs or other natural infirmities that the innocent party may be accorded the discretionary relief which is provided under the Hindu

Marriage Act.

Under Section 10 either party to a marriage may seek a decree for the judicial separation on the ground that the other party has deserted the

petitioner for a period of not less than two years, or has treated the petitioner with cruelty or similar lapses. A decree for judicial separation can

only be granted at the instance of an innocent party and against the spouse who has been guilty of the matrimonial wrongs mentioned in Section 10.

Likewise, a decree for dissolution of marriage u/s 13 may be granted and again to an innocent party if the other spouse is living in adultery or

because of some other infirmity in him or her for which the petitioner cannot be said to be at fault.

D.F. Mulla, in his commentary on the Hindu Marriage Act at page 853 of the 12th edition of the Principles of Hindu Law, states the matter thus:

At the same time the view seems to have been taken that the injured or innocent spouse who has obtained a decree for judicial separation should

have the right to seek dissolution of the marriage by a decree of divorce where the parties have not resumed cohabitation for a period of two years

or more after the passing of such decree.

This conclusion of the learned authority, in my opinion is clearly in consonance with the principles governing matrimonial jurisdiction of divorce

courts both here and in England. It would be indeed strange if a husband who has no independent right of his own to ask for dissolution of

marriage u/s 13 is permitted to seek the umbrage of a decree for judicial separation obtained by his wife against him. It is to be borne in mind that

only one of the two parties is given a right to ask for divorce under clause (viii) on ground of judicial separation and in the present instance that

party is the wife in whose favour a decree for judicial separation was granted and who in other words, is the innocent party.

Under sub-section (1) of S. 13 of the Hindu Marriage Act, the husband or the wife can bring a petition on the ground that ""the other party"" (and

these words are important) has not resumed cohabitation for a period of two years after the passing of a decree for judicial separation against that

party. The words ""the other Party"" in sub-section (1) and ""against that party"" in clause (viii), in my mind, provide a key to the construction of this

provision and these clearly exclude the right of one of the spouses, namely the party against whom the decree has been granted to claim the

protection of a divorce court for a decree for dissolution of marriage.

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Neither the plain language of Sec. 13 nor the principles of Divorce Law could justify the conclusion that a husband, who is the guilty party in the

present case, can obtain a decree for dissolution of marriage because his own wrong was found sufficient to entitle his wife in 1958 to obtain a

decree for judicial separation. It would be singularly inappropriate to accord the same judicial status to a decree obtained under the Divorce

Jurisdiction of a Court as an ordinary decree which in some situations may afford further relief to all the parties to it on its basis. The decree for

judicial separation is of a personal nature and enures only for the benefit of the party in whose favour it is granted as is clearly specified in Sec. 13

itself.

It will also not be out of place to mention that Section 13 of the Hindu Marriage Act, Act No. 25 of 1955 (Central Act) was amended by the

Hindu Marriage Amendment Act, Act No. 44 of 1964. By virtue of the Amendment Act a new clause in the form of clause (1) of sub-section (1-

A) was inserted in place of the original clause (viii) of sub-section (1) in S. 13 enabling either spouse to take advantage of the decree for judicial

separation and apply for a decree dissolving the marriage if no cohabitation has taken place between the spouses for a period of two years or

more after passing of a decree for judicial separation.

This amendment has not been adapted by the State Legislature with the result that clause (viii) of sub-section (1) of S. 13 of the Act operates in

its full glory and relief by way of divorce on the ground mentioned therein can be had only by a husband or wife who had obtained a decree for

judicial separation and not by the other spouse.

For the foregoing reasons we find ourselves unable to interfere with the judgment and decree passed by the court below. In the result the appeal

fails and is hereby dismissed but in the circumstances of the case without any order as to costs.