Lucknow: The Allahabad High Court has ruled that couples facing "exceptional hardship" can file for divorce within the first year of marriage, overturning a family court's decision.
The bench of Justices Vivek Chaudhary and Brijraj Singh stated that Section 14 of the Hindu Marriage Act - which imposes a 1-year waiting period - has an inbuilt exception for extraordinary circumstances.
The case involved an Ambedkarnagar couple who married on September 3, 2024, and sought mutual divorce within months due to irreconcilable differences.
While the family court rejected their petition citing the 1-year rule, the HC emphasized that genuine cases of marital distress shouldn't be forced to wait. The court remanded the matter back to the family court for reconsideration.
Legal experts note this clarifies Section 14's provisions, though petitioners must still prove exceptional hardship. The judgment aligns with similar interpretations by other HCs across India.
You may also like
Found & released: 3 Indians missing in Iran rescued by cops in Tehran; all you need to know
Baked beans will taste way better with 'delicious flavour' if you add 1 ingredient
IPL 2025 Prize Money: How much money did RCB get for becoming the IPL champion? PBKS and Mumbai Indians also won the lottery..
RCB win IPL 2025: Bengaluru, get ready to celebrate! Kohli, ABD, Gayle, and team coming home for royal homecoming bash
IPL 2025 Final: Kohli made RCB champion by playing the biggest innings in the final, reminded of T20 World Cup..