SupremeToday Landscape Ad
Back
Next
Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation
Listen Audio Icon Pause Audio Icon
judgment-img

2023 Supreme(Raj) 2093

IN THE HIGH COURT OF RAJASTHAN
Pushpendra Singh Bhati, J.
Smt. Anu - Petitioner
Versus
Shekhar – Respondent
S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 10381 of 2023
Decided On : 02-09-2023

Advocates Appeared:
For the Petitioner:Mr. Ramniwas, Advocate.
For the Respondent:Mr. AD Ujjwal, Advocate.

Headnote:(A) Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 - Section 13-B(2) - Waiver of statutory period - Petitioner and respondent jointly sought waiver of six months' cooling-off period, with submission of mutual agreement for divorce due to irretrievable breakdown of marriage - Relevant case laws cited include Amardeep Singh v. Harveen Kaur (2017) 8 SCC 746, establishing that the cooling-off period is directory, allowing court discretion in suitable cases (Paras 3, 5, 6).

(B) Judicial Discretion - The court recognized the parties' understanding of their rights and mutual decision to part, fulfilling conditions for waiver of cooling-off period as set out in precedents (Paras 7, 8).

(C)

Result: Petition allowed, and impugned order set aside with directions for trial court to proceed accordingly.

Table of Content
1. parties are seeking a waiver of the cooling-off period. (Para 1 , 2)
2. legal precedent supports waiving the cooling-off period. (Para 3 , 4)
3. court finds conditions for waiver are met. (Para 5 , 6 , 7)
4. writ petition allowed; waiver of cooling-off is granted. (Para 8)
5. trial court directed to proceed with the waiver. (Para 9 , 10)

ORDER :

(Pushpendra Singh Bhati, J.)

This writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India has been preferred claiming the following reliefs :-

    "That the order dated 15.07.2023 (Annex.3) where learned Tribunal Family Court No.1 Jodhpur dismissed the application for condone of waive of six months cooling period under Section 13-B (2) of Hindu Marriage Act 1955, being aggrieved with this order where both the parties wanted to move on with this marriage and want to end this marriage as soon as possible so that they can move ahead in their life positively. Hence, the order dated 15.07.2023 must be quashed and set aside."

2. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the marriage of the petitioner and respondent was solemnised with Hindu rites and ritual on 18.11.2021. Learned counsel further submits that the petitioner and respondent are living separately from February, 2022. Learned counsel also submits that the both the parties arrived at a joint settlement to part ways as the marriage has irretrievably broken down.

3. Learned counsel for the parties submits that Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Amardeep Singh v. Harveen Kaur , reported in (2017) 8 SCC 746; has waived off the cooling period for the second motion; relevant portion reads as under :-

    "19. Applying the above to the present situation, we are of the view that where the Court dealing with a matter is satisfied that a case is made out to waive the statutory period under Section 13- B(2), it can do so after considering the following :

    i) the statutory period of six months specified in Section 13- B(2), in addition to the statutory period of one year under Section 13-B(1) of separation of parties is already over before the first motion itself;

    ii) all efforts for mediation/conciliation including efforts in terms of Order 32-A Rule 3 CPC/Section 23(2) of the Act/section 9 of the Family Courts Act to reunite the parties have failed and there is no likelihood of success in that direction by any further efforts;

    iii) the parties have genuinely settled their differences including alimony, custody of child or any other pending issues between the parties;

    iv) the waiting period will only prolong their agony.

    The waiver application can be filed one week after the first motion giving reasons for the prayer for waiver. If the above conditions are satisfied, the waiver of the waiting period for the second motion will be in the discretion of the court concerned.

    20. Since we are of the view that the period mentioned in Section 13- (2) is not mandatory but directory, it will be open to the Court to exercise its discretion in the facts and circumstances of each case where there is no possibility of parties resuming cohabitation and there are chances of alternative rehabilitation."

4. Learned counsel for the parties have therefore jointly prayed that the order impugned be set aside and the court below be directed to condone or waive the statutory period specified under Section 13-B(2) of the Act of 1955.

5. At this juncture, this Court considers it appropriate to reproduce the relevant portion of the Judgment rendered in the case of Smt. Nisha Yadav v. Sandeep Yadav (D.B. Civil Misc. Appeal No.2505/2019) decided by the Division Bench of this Hon'ble Court at Jaipur Bench on 09.07.2019, as hereunder:-

    "Learned counsel for both the parties pray that after waiving the cooling off period of six months, this court may pass a decree of divorce on mutual consent keeping in view the fact that their marriage has reached the stage of irretrievable break down. In support of this submission, learned counsel relied on the judgments of the

Click Here to Read the rest of this document
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
SupremeToday Portrait Ad
supreme today icon
logo-black

An indispensable Tool for Legal Professionals, Endorsed by Various High Court and Judicial Officers

Please visit our Training & Support
Center or Contact Us for assistance

qr

Scan Me!

India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!

For Daily Legal Updates, Join us on :

whatsapp-icon Back to top