Advocates appeared:
For the Parties : Mr. Bhupinder Banga, Mr. Imnran Ahmad Ali, Mr. H.S. Deol, Ms. Amandeep Kaur

Key Points: - The Court held that Section 14(1) applies to Section 13-B, allowing permission to file a mutual consent divorce within one year of marriage in exceptional hardship cases. (!) (!) - The court enumerated factors to consider when granting such permission, including duration of marriage, period of separation, other proceedings, possibility of reconciliation, misrepresentation, presence of children, likelihood of reconciliation, and the parties’ age/education/economic position. (!) (!) (!) (!) (!) (!) (!) (!) (!) - The case involved a very short marriage (approximately 1 month from marriage to separation) with no children, and the court granted permission for filing the Section 13-B petition within one year, directing expeditious proceedings. (!) (!) (!) (!) - The judgment cites precedents and explains that exceptional hardship/depravity can justify waiving the one-year requirement under the proviso to Section 14(1). (!) (!) (!) - The statutory interpretation emphasizes the aim of amicable resolution in matrimonial disputes and the role of Section 14 in guiding Section 13-B proceedings. (!) (!)

How to obtain permission under Section 14(1) of the Hindu Marriage Act to file a petition under Section 13-B within one year of marriage?

What is the court’s stance on applying Section 14 to Section 13-B to allow a divorce petition within one year of marriage in exceptional circumstances?

What factors should the court consider when deciding whether to grant permission under Section 14(1) for filing a Section 13-B petition?