ORAL JUDGMENT:---These petitions have been placed before us at the direction of the Hon'ble Chief Justice for a decision as to whether the procedure contemplated under section 16 of the Indian Divorce Act, 1869 of confirmation of a decree nisi made by the High Court on its Original Side is still required in view of the coming into force of the Family Courts Act, 1984. The present petitions are all petitions filed under section 10 of the Indian Divorce Act, 1869 for dissolution of the marriage on different grounds. In each of these petitions a decree nisi has been made by a learned Single Judge of this Court in exercise of the matrimonial jurisdiction of this Court. These decree nisis are required to be confirmed by virtue of provisions in section 16 of the Indian Divorce Act. We are informed that there are about 200 other similar matters where decree nisi has already been made by a learned Single Judge of this Court in exercise of powers under section 16 of the Indian Divorce Act, 1869. It is not necessary to discuss the facts giving rise to these petitions to decide the question referred to us. We shall refer to the facts of M.J. Petition No. 4543 of 1999 as a typical case.

2. In

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