This case comes before us for confirmation of the decree of the learned District Judge of West Thanjavur declaring the marriage between the petitioner and the respondent as null and void on the ground of the impotency of the respondent. The petitioner is the wife and the parties are Christians Their marriage was solemnised on 29th May, 1961, at Kumbakonam and according to the case of the petitioner, as set out in her petition, “during her stay with the respondent, in spite of her best efforts, she was not able to get conjugal happiness from the respondent”, and “found that the respondent was impotent at the time of the marriage”. It is also averred in the petition that the respondent did not want to live with the petitioner and began to shun her presence. Three months after the date of the marriage itself, the petitioner was sent away to her parents’ house. The petition for declaration of the nullity of marriage under sections 18 and 19 of the Indian Divorce Act was filed on 26th October, 1962. The petitioner herself, at the time of the marriage, must have been aged about 24 years and a teacher. The respondent, husband, is employed as a Physical Instructor at Madurai an