Holding

The marriage was deemed irretrievably broken, desertion and cruelty were proved, and the Family Court’s decree of divorce was upheld, setting aside the High Court’s order.

Summary

Durga Prasanna Tripathy married Arundhati Tripathy on 5 March 1991. The wife left the matrimonial home in October 1991 and the parties lived apart for about 14 years. The husband filed a petition for divorce under Section 13(1) of the Hindu Marriage Act, alleging cruelty and desertion. The Family Court granted the decree of divorce and ordered the husband to pay Rs.50,000 as permanent alimony. The Orissa High Court set aside the decree, holding that the husband had not proved cruelty or desertion. On appeal, the Supreme Court held that the marriage had irretrievably broken down, that the husband had established both desertion and cruelty, and that the Family Court’s findings were correct; consequently, the High Court’s order was set aside, the decree of divorce affirmed, and the permanent alimony increased by Rs.1,00,000.

Issues considered

Whether the marriage between the parties had irretrievably broken down warranting a decree of divorce under Section 13(1) of the Hindu Marriage Act.
Whether the husband proved the essential elements of desertion and cruelty.
Whether the High Court erred in setting aside the Family Court’s decree of divorce.
Whether the quantum of permanent alimony awarded by the Family Court should be enhanced.

Legislation cited

Subjects

DivorceCrueltyDesertionIrretrievable breakdown of marriagePermanent alimonyHindu Marriage ActFamily Courts ActSupreme Court of India

Judgment

DURGA PRASANNA TRIPATHY A
V.

ARUNDHATlTRIPATHY

AUGUST 23, 2005
B
[RUMA PAL AND DR. AR. LAKSHMANAN, JJ.]

Hindu Marriage Act, 1955-Section 13(/)-Marriage broke down
within 7 months-Family Court granted decree of divorce to husband on
grounds of desertion and cruelty by wife-Husband directed to pay Rs.
50,000 towards permanent alimony-High Court set aside the decree of C
divorce-On appeal, held : Parties are living separately for last 14 years-
Marriage has irretrievably broken down-No scope for re-union or re-
conciliation-Hence, dissolution ofniarriage appropriate-However, amount
towards permanent alimony enhanced by Rs. I /akh-Family Courts Act,
1984-Section 19-Constitution of India, 1950-Article 142. D
Family Court allowed petition filed by appellant-husband under
Section 13 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 and granted him decree of
divorce on grounds of cruelty and desertion. However, it directed the
appellant to pay Rs. 50,000 towards permanent alimony to his wife-the
respondent. On appeal, High Court set aside the decree of divorce E
passed by the Family Court, holding that the appellant had failed to
prove cruelty and desertion as against the respondeQt. Hence the present
appeal.

Allowing the appeal, the Court F

HELD: 1. The High Court held against the appellant on two points,
namely: - misquoting of the evidence of respondent, by the Family
Court; and inconsist~nt plea of the appellant with regard to leaving the
matrimonial home by the respondent. Both the aforesaid points taken
into consideration by the High Court cannot be construed as a finding G
upon the merits of the case.

1.1. The Family Court gave cogent and convincilll! reasons for
passing the decree of divorce in favour of the appellant. It gave a clear
finding that in spite of good deal of endeavour to effect a reconciliation H
833
834 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2005] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A the same could not be effected because of the insistence of the respond-
ent to remain separately from her in-laws, which was totally an imprac-
ticable solution. This part, till date the respondent has not taken any
steps from her side to go back to her matrimonial home. The said fact
gets reflected from her own deposition before the Family Court.
B
2.2. Having been convinced that there was no chance of reunion or
reconciliation between the parties, more so because of the complaint
filed by the respondent before the Mahila Commission, the Family
·Court with a view to put a quietus to the litigation inter se and the
bitterness between the parties rightly passed the decree of divorce.
c
3.1. The compliant before the Mahila Commission does not impli-
cate the appellant for dowry harassment though the respondent in her
evidence before the Family Court has alleged dowry harassment by the
appellant. The complaint was lodged only after notice was issued by the
D Family Court on the application filed by the appellant under Section 13
of the Hindu Marriage Act. The harassment by the in-laws of the
respondent was an after-thought since the same was alleged after a gap
of 7 years of marriage and desertion by the respondent.

3.2. Respondent in her evidence had not disputed the fact t.hat
E attempts have been made by the appellant and his family to bring her
back to the matrimonial home for leading a conjugal life with the
appellant. The appellant having failed in his ·efforts to get back the
respondent to her matrimonial home and having faced the trauma of
performing the last rites of his deceased father without the respondent
F and having faced the ill-treatment meted out by the respondent to him
and his family had no other efficacious remedy but to approach the
Family Court for decree of divorce.

3.3. The appellant had proved before the Family Court both the
factum of separation as well as animus deservendi which are the essential
G elements of desertion. Besides, enough instances of cruelty meted out by
the respondent to the appellant were cited before the Family Co.urt and
the Family Court being convinced granted the decree of divorce.

Sanat Kumar Agarwal v. Nandini Agarwal, (1990] 1 SCC 475;
H Adhyatma Bhattar A/war v. Adhyatma Bhattar Sri Devi, [2002) 1SCC308
DURGA PRASANNA TRIPATHYv. ARUNDHATI TRIPATHY 835

and G. V.N. Kameswara Rao v. G. Jabil/i, [20021 2 SCC 296, relied on, A
4,L The parties could not carry on their marital ties beyond a
period of 7 months of their marriage, 14 years have elapsed since the
appellant and the respondent have been separated and there is no
possibility of the appellant and the respondent resuming the normal B
marital life even though the respondent is willing to join her husband.
There has been an irretrievable breakdown of marriage between the
appellant and the respondent. Reunion is impossible, A good part of the
lives of both the parties has been consumed in this litigation, Parties
cannot at this stage reconcile themselves and live together forgetting
their past as a bad dream. Hence the judgment of the High Court is set C
aside and the order of the Family Court granting decree for divorce is
affirmed,

Anjana Kishore v. Puneet Kishore, 120021 JO SCC 194 and Swati
Verma (Smt.) v. Rajan Verma and Others, [20041 I SCC 123, relied on.
D
4.2. The Family Court directed the appellant to pay a sum of Rs,
50,000 towards permanent alimony to the respondent, which the appel-
lant had deposited. Considering the status of parties and the economic
condition of the appellant who is facing criminal prosecution and out
of job and also considering the status of the wife who is employed, a E
further sum of Rs. 1 lakh by way of permanent alimony would meet the
ends of justice, [846-H; 847-A-BI

Chanderkala Trivedi (Smt.) v. Dr. S.P. Trivedi, [199314 SCC 232; V.
Bhagat v, D. Bhagat (Mrs.), [1994] I SCC 337 =AIR (1994) SC 710 and
Ramesh Chander v. Savitri, AIR (1995) SC 851 = (1995) AIR SCW 647, F
relied on,

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION Civil Appeal No. 5 I 84 of
2005.
G
From the Judgment and Order dated 23.12.2003 of the Orissa High
Court in C.A. No. 10 of 2001.

Ranjan Mukherjee and S. Mohanty for the Appellant.

Ms. S.S. Panicker and Bharat Sangal for the Respondent H
836 SUPRi::ME COURT REPORTS [2005] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A The Judgment of the Court was deilvered by

DR. AR. LAKSHMANAN, J. : Leave granted.

This appeal is directed against the judgment dated 23.12.2003 passed
B by the High Court of Orissa at Cuttack in Civil Appeal No. 10 of 2001
whereby the High Court allowing the appeal filed by the respondent-herein/
wife unde1 Section 13(1) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 on the ground
of cruelty and desertion.

The marriage between the appellant and the respondent was solem-
C nized on 05.03.1991. After the marriage, the parties led their conjugal life
in the village to which the appellant belongs and the respondent-wife per-
suaded the appellant to stay at Bhubaneswar, the place of her service as well
as her pare!ltal place. The husband did not approve such proposal as a result
of which dispute arose between the parties. It was alleged that the respond-
D ent-wife behaved with her husband and her in-laws in a cruel manner. She
deserted the appellant by staying in the house of her father since 22. l 0.1991 .
.The appellant and his parents tried their best to bring the respondent-wife
to the marital home but all their efforts were in vain. Thereafter, on 26.05.1996,
for the marriage ceremony of the appellant's younger brother, the mother
of the appellant also went to bring the respondent but the latter was not
E inclined to come but misbehaved and insulted her mother-in-law. The
appellant's father expired and for which also the father of the respondent
was requested by the appell!mt to send the respondent to the house of the
appellant since being the eldest daughter-in-law but then also the respondent
did not come. Even after the death of the appellant's father, the respondent
F in spite of several requests by the appellant and his family members did not
jo'in the company of the appellant. The respondent, furthermore, joined the
Office of the Civil Supplies at Puri and in view of this, the respondent and
her father always insisted the appellant to shift to Bhubaneswar. The appel-
lant, in view of this, after about 7 years from the date of separation took
redress of the Court. After leaving the appellant, the respondent also joined
G as a Junior Assistant in the office of the Civil Supply Corporation.

The respondent-wife denied the allegations made against her. She
further stated in her written statement that due to maltreatment of the
appellant's mother and brother she came back to her parents house. She also
H stated that she was willing to live separately from her mother-in-law and
DURGA PRASANNA TRIPATHY v. ARUNDHATI TRIPATHY [LAKSHMANAN, J.] 837

brother-in-law. She, therefore, prayed for dismissal of the proceedings. A

Both parties led oral evidence in support of their respective cases. The
appellant was examined as P. W. l. During his evidence he corroborated the
facts made in the original application for divorce. He has also stated that
he is not willing to stay with the respondent as husband and wife after a long B
lapse of about 9 years and there is no chance of reunion between the parties.
The respondent examined herself as O.P. Wl. She elso filed bunch of docu-
ments. On the basis of the pleadings and evidence of the parties, the Courts
below framed an issue whether there is just and sufficient cause to pass a
decree of divorce against the respondent-wife on the grounds of cruelty and
desertion or not. c
The Family Court, Cuttack passed its judgment and allowed the peti-
tion filed by the appellant-herein under Section 13 of the Hindu Marriage
Act and thereby granted decree of divorce. The Family Court, after having
heard the parties and after perusing the evidence on record, held as follows:-
D
"When the wife-respondent declines to come to the marital
home, undoubtedly it gave mental shock to the petitioner-husband,
which knew no bounds. There is also no chance of reunion or
reconciliation between the parties. The only course open to the
Court is to pass a decree of divorce thereby to put an end to the E
litigation. The husband-petitioner has proved to the satisfaction of
the Court that the wife-respondent is not only cruel, but also de-
serted him since more than seven years, which are good grounds
for passing a decree of divorce."
F
"However, as regards the alimony the learned Judge directed
the petitioner-husband to pay Rs.50,000 to the wife-respondent
towards her permanent alimony, which was to be paid/deposited in
the shape of bank draft."

Aggrieved by the judgment of the Family Court, the respondent filed G
a civil appeal before the High Court of Orissa under Section l 9 of the Family
Courts Act, 1984.

The appellant contended before the High Court that while allowing the
proceedings under Section 13(1) of the Hindu Marriage Act on the ground H
838 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2005] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A of cruelty and desertion, the Family Court dissolved the marriage solem-
nized between the parties on 05.03.1991 and has directed the appellant to
pay a sum of Rs.50,000 towards permanent alimony to the respondent and
pursuant to such direction, the appellant has deposited the amount by way
of a bank draft.
B
The High Court, vide its judgment dated 23.12.2003, set aside the
decree of divorce passed by the Family Court and allowed the appeal filed
by the respondent herein holding that the appellant had failed to prove
cruelty and desertion as against the respondent.

c Aggrieved against the judgment of the High Court, the appellant pre-
ferred the above Special Leave Petition.

We heard Mr. Ranjan Mukherjee, learned counsel appearing for the
..... appellant and Ms. S.S. Panicker, learned counsel appearing for the respond-
D ent.

Mr. Ranjan Mukherjee, learned counsel for the appellant, submitted
that the High Court has failed to appreciate that the failure of the respondent
to substantiate the alleged reasons for staying away and omission to dem-
onstrate readiness and willingness to discharge continuing obligation to
E return to matrimonial home taken together were sufficient to establish
animus deserendi, necessary to prove legal desertion by the wife as per the
principles laid down by this Court in a number of cases. He would further
submit that the appellant has proved the desertion of the respondent-wife
to the satisfaction of the Courts below and after considering all the aspects
F and evidence led in support of the desertion, the Family Court, after satis-
fying itself that a reunion between the parties is not possible, has passed a
decree of divorce and in pursuance to the direction of the Family Court, the
appellant had deposited a sum ofRs.50,000 by way ofa bank draft in favour
of the respondent herein. It was further submitted that the High Court has
failed to appreciate that in the present case both have been staying separately
G for about the last 14 years and in the meantime, the respondent has got a
job at Bhubaneswar and moreover the appellant and his family members had
on quite a number of times tried to get the respondent to her matrimonial
home but of no avail. It was further submitted that the High Court has failed
to appreciate that the allegations of dowry demand as made by the respond-
H ent by the mother-in-law and the brother-in-law are concocted afterthoughts
DURGA PRASANNA TRIPATHYv. ARUNDHATI TRIP ATHY [LAKSHMANAN, J.J 839

of the respondent to defend her inexplicable stand which is evident from A
the fact that though the respondent had left her matrimonial home in the year
1991 itself she had only chosen to lodge a complaint against her mother-
in-law and brother-in-law before the Mahila Commission only in the year
1988 i.e. after about 7 years.
B
Mr. Ranjan Mukherjee further submitted that the parties have been
living separately for almost 14 years which means that there is an irretriev-
able breakdown of marriage and that because of such breakdown of mar-
riage, the marriage between the parties has been rendered a complete dead-
wood. Mr. Ranjan Mukherjee, in support of his submissions, cited the
following judgments of this Court. C

I. Anjana Kishore v. Puneet Kishore, (2002] 10 SCC 194 (Three-Judge
Bench)

2. Swati Verma (Smt) v. Rajan Verma and Others, [2004] 1 SCC D
123

3. Sanat Kumar Agarwal v. Nandini Agarwal, [1990] 1 SCC 475

4. Adhyatma Bhattar A/war v. Adhyatma Bhattar Sri Devi, (2002] I SCC
308 E
,·'.
5. G. V.N. Kameswara Rao v. G. Jabil/i," [2002] 2 SCC 296.

Ms. S.S. Panicker, learned counsel for the respondent submitted that
the plea and evidence of. the appellant before the Family Court was at F
variance and that in absence of corroboration the allegation of the appellant
as to the desertion or cruelty by the respondent-wife could not be proved
by the appellant. It was submitted that the High Court has rightly arrived
at the conclusion that the order of the Family Court was errone-0us as the
same was passed by misquoting the evidence of the respondent. She would
further submit that there is no error in the impugned order of the High Court G
much less an error requiring interference by this Court under Article 136
of the Constitution of India. It was submitted that the order of the Family
Court is prima facie illegal, erroneous and that the Family Court failed to
take into account the evidence adduced by the parties in its proper perspec-
tive. According to learned counsel for the respondent, a perusal of the H
840 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2005] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A evidence would make it amply clear that the appellant in his evidence has
clearly admitted that he had himself led the respondent on 23.10.1991 in
her father's house which was contrary to the statement in the divorce petition
wherein he had made a specific allegation that the respondent had left the
matrimonial home on her own accord. He had not written any letter nor
taken any relations to persuade the respondent to lead marital life with him
B
and that he was also not willing to stay with the respondent and to continue
the marital relations. Learned counsel for the respondent invited our atten-
tion to the evidence led in by both the parties and misquoting of the evidence
by the Court. The respondent, on the contrary, in her evidence had stated
that after 23. I 0 .1991 she had been to the matrimonial home with her father
C and other relations but the appellant refused to accept her, so she had to take
shelter at her parental home, that the appellant was on visiting terms to her
parental home that she had led conjugal life with the appellant till February,
1996, that even in the year 1997, the respondent had stayed with the
appellant at Jajpur in a rented accommodation but was again forced to quit
D because of harassment by the in-laws that she was also willing to stay with
the appellant at Jaipur and was interested in continuing their marital rela-
tions. Learned counsel submitted that the Family Court has failed to take
note that the wife had categorically stated before the Conciliation Officer
as also in the evidence and pleadings before the Family Court that she was
interested and willing to live with the husband and that the appellant on the
E other hand had clearly stated that he did not want to continue the marital
relations. Learned counsel further argued that the appellant has also not been
able to prove the allegations of cruelty against the respondent and that the
appellant had only alleged that the conduct of the respondent of not return-
ing to the matrimonial home, her lack of cooperation in establishing normal
p cohabitation, her repeatedly causing social embarrassment _to the appellant
by not performing the last rites of the father-in-law and not participating in
a marriage ceremony of the appellant's brother and filing false complaint
against the mother-in-law and brother-in-law had caused mental depression,
.·anguish and frustration to the appellant amounts to mental cruelty. She
would also further submit that the allegations which are necessary to con-
G stitute desertion are not present in the instant case. It was also submitted that
the appellant filed divorce petition in the year 1998 that is almost 7 years
after the alleged desertion by the wife from 23. l 0.1991 and that the appel-
lant has not given any valid explanation for the unexplained delay in filing
the divorce petition. Concluding her arguments, she submitted that the
H appellant was not entitled to a decree of divorce on the ground of desertion
DURGA PRASANNA TRIPATHY v. ARUNDHATI TRIPATHY [LAKSHMANAN, J.] 84 l

and he and his family members were themselves responsible forthe respond- A
ent quitting the matrimonial home and, therefore, the appellant cannot be
permitted to take advantage of his own wrong for obtaining a decree for
divorce in violation of the provisions of the Hindu Marriage Act. She
submitted that the High Court was, therefore, correct in setting right an
apparent error on the face of the order of the Family Court as the order of B
the Family Court was passed without taking into the evidence of the re-
spondent and the appellant.

We have carefully gone through the pleadings, the evidence led and
the judgments cited by learned counsel for the appellant. Learned counsel
for the respondent has ilot cited any ruling in support of her contentions. C

This is a most unfortunate case where both the parties could not carry
on their marital ties beyond a period of 7 months of their marriage. The
marriage between the parties took place on 05.03 .1991 and it is the specific D
case of the appellant that the respondent deserted him on 22.10.1999 and
never again returned to her matrimonial home. Today the position is that
the parties have been living separately for almost 14 years which means that
there is an irretrievable breakdown of marriage and that because of such
breakdown of marriage the marriage between the parties has been rendered
a complete deadwood. Learned counsel for the appellant argued that no E
useful purpose will be served by keeping such a marriage alive on paper,
which would only aggravate the agony of the parties. Therefore, he would
pray that in the fitness of things and in the interest of justice, the marriage
between the parties is forthwith terminated by a decree of divorce. We have
perused the orders passed by the Family Court and also of the High Court. F
Both the Family Court as well as the High Court made efforts to bring about
a reconciliation/rapprochement between the parties. The Family Court in
this regard gave a clear finding that in spite of good deal of endeavour to
effect a reconciliation the same could not be effected because of the insist-
ence of the respondent to remain separately from her in-laws. It was totally
an impracticable solution. G

In this context, we may usefully refer to page 35 of the paper book
which reads as follows:

"Be that as it may, good deal of endeavour was made by the H
842 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2005] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A Conciliation Cell attached to the Court as per Section 9 of the
Family Courts Act and as well as by this Court for a compromise .
between the parties, but the respondent-wife insisted and wanted
to remain separately from her in-laws which was totally impracti-
cable on the part of the petitioner-husband."
B
This apart, since October, 199 l till date the respondent has not taken
any steps from her side to go back to her matrimonial home. The said fact
gets reflected from her own deposition before the Family Court wherein she
has deposed as under:-

c "On 23.10.1991, the petitioner left me in the house of my
father. I went to the marital home with my father and other rela-
tions, but the petitioner created trouble and did not accept me as
his wife. So I came away to my father and has taken shelter there."

D "The petitioner left me in my father's house after the marriage
on 23.10.1991. It is not a fact that I came away suo moto from the
marital home deserting the petitioner. Again I came and stayed in
the marital home from December, 1991 till February 1992 and
thereafter came to my father's house."

E The Family Court has given cogent and convincing reasons for passing
the decree of divorce in favour of the appellant. Having been convinced that
there was no chance of reunion or reconciliation between the parties, more
so because of the complaint filed by the respondent before the Mahila
Commission, the Family Court with a view to put a quietus to the litigation
F inter se and the bitterness between the parties rightly passed the decree of
divorce.

The Division Bench of the High Court by the impugned judgment has
reversed the finding of the Family Court. The learned Judges of the High
Court held against the appellant on two points, namely:-
G
(a) Misquoting of the evidence of the respondent, by the Family
Court; and

(b) Inconsistent plea of the appellant with regard to leaving the
H matrimonial home by the respondent.
DURGA PRASANNA TRIPATHYv. ARUNDHATI TRIPATHY [LAKSHMANAN, J.] 843

Both the aforesaid points taken into consideration by the learned A
Judges of the High Court cannot, in our view, be construed as a finding upon
the merits of the case.

In our view that 14 years have elapsed since the appellant and the
respondent have been separated and there is no possibility of the appellant B
and the respondent resuming the normal marital life even though the re-
spondent is willing to join her husband. There has been an irretrievable
breakdown of marriage between the appellant the respondent. The respond-
ent has also preferred to keep silent about her absence during the death of
her father-in-law and during the marriage ceremony of her brother-in-law.
The complaint before the Mahila Commission does not implicate the appel- C
!ant for dowry harassment though the respondeni in her evidence before the
family Court has alleged dowry harassment by the appellant. It is pertinent
to mention here that a complaint before the Mahila Commission was lodged
after 7 years of the marriage alleging torture for dowry by the mother-in-
law and brother-in-law during the initial years of marriage. The said com- D
plaint was filed in I 998 that is only after notice was issued by the family
Court on 27.03.1997 on the application filed by the appellant under Section
!3 of the Hindu Marriage Act. The family Court, on examination of the
evidence on record, and having observed the demeanor of the witnesses
concluded that the appellant had proved that the respondent is not only cruel
but also deserted him since more than 7 years. The desertion as on date is E
more than 14 years and, therefore, in our view there has been an irretrievable
breakdown of marriage between the appellant and the respondent. Even the
Conciliation Officer before the Family Court gave its report that the re-
spondent was willing to live with the appellant on the condition that they
lived separately from his family. The respondent in her evidence had not F
disputed the fact that attempts have been made by the appellant and his
family to bring her back to the matrimonial home for leading a conjugal life
with the appellant. Apart from that, relationship between the appellant and
the respondent have become strained over the years due to the desertion of
the appellant by the respondent for several years. Under the circumstances,
the appellant had proved before the Family Court both the factum of sepa- G
ration as well as animus deserendi which are the essential elements of
desertion. The evidence adduced by the respondent before the Family Court
belies her stand taken by her before the Family Court. Enough instances of
cruelty meted out by the respondent to thelappellant were cited before the
• Family Court and the Family Court being convinced granted the decree of H
844 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2005] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A divorce. The harassment by the in-laws of the respondent was an after-
thought since the same was alleged after a gap of 7 years of marriage and
desertion by the respondent. The appellant having failed in his efforts to get
back the respondent to her matrimonial home and having faced the trauma
of performing the last rites of his deceased father without the respondent
B and having faced the ill-treatment meted out by the respondent to him and
his family had, in our opinion, no other efficacious remedy but to approach
the Family Court for decree of divorce.

In the following two cases, this Court has ta!<en a consistent view that
where it is found that the marriage between the parties has irretrievably
C broken down and has been rendered a dead wood, exigency of the situation
demands, the dissolution of such a marriage by a decree of divorce to put
an end to the agony and bitterness:

(a) Anjana Kishore v. Puneet Kishore, [2002] 10 SCC 194
D
(b) Swati Verma (Smt.) v. Rajan Verma & Ors., [2004] 1SCC123

Likewise, in the following three cases, this Court has observed that the ·
question of desertion is a matter of inference to be drawn from the facts and
circumstances of each case and those facts have to be viewed as to the
E purpose which is revealed by those facts or by conduct and expression of
intention, both anterior and subsequent to the actual act of separation.

(a) SanatKumarAgarwalv.NandiniAgarwal, [1990] l SCC475

(b) Adhyatma Bhattar A/war v. Adhyatma Bhattar Sri Devi,
F
[20021 1 sec 308

(c) G.VN. Kameswara Rao v. G. Jabilli, [2002] 2 SCC 296

The submission made by Mr. Ranjan Mukherjee that the marriage
G between the appellant and the respondent has for all practical purposes
become dead, that there can be no chance of being retrieved and that it was
better to bring the marriage to an end merits acceptance and force.

In Chanderkala Trivedi (Smt) v Dr. S.P. Trivedi, [1993] 4 SCC 232,
H which is an appeal before this Court against the grant of decree for divorce
•
DURGA PRASANNA TRIPATHYv. ARUNDHAT! TRIPATHY [LAKSHMANAN,J.] 845

by the Bombay High Court on the ground of cruelty. When leave was A
granted, this Court observed that they are granting leave because it appears
to them that the marriage between the parties was in all practical purposes
dead and the enforced continuity of the marriage will only mean that the
parties will spend more years in bitterness against each other. Since the
husband was in a position to provide reasonable maintenance or permanent B
alimony, this Court granted special leave. At the time of final hearing, this
Court deleted the findings and has, however, decided not to interfere with
the order passed by a Division Bench of the Bombay High Court. The
husband, on the persuasion of this Court, agreed to provide a one bed-room
flat to the wife in a locality where it can be available between Rs. 3 and
4 lacs. Therefore, while dismissing the appeal, this Court directed the c
husband to purchase a flat for the wife and further deposit a sum of Rs. 2
lacs by means of a demand draft in the name of the appellant with the Family
Court.

In V. Bhagat v. D. Bhagat (Mrs), [I 994] 1 SCC 337 ~AIR (1994) SC D
710, this Court while allowing the marriage to dissolve on ground of mental
cruelty and in view of the irretrievable breakdown of marriage and the
peculiar circumstances of the case, held that the allegations of adultery
against the wife were not proved thereby vindicating her honour and char-
acter. This Court while exploring the other alternative observed that the
divorce petition has been pending for more than 8 years and a good part E
of the lives of both the parties has been consumed in this litigation and yet,
the end is not in sight and that the allegations made against each other in
the petition and the counter by the parties will go to show that living together
is out of question and rapproachment is not in the realm of possibility. This
·Court at page 720 of AIR has observed thus: F
"Before parting with this case, we think it necessary to append
a clarification. Merely because there are allegations and counter
allegations, a decree of divorce cannot follow. Nor is mere delay
in disposal of the divorce proceedings by itself a grou~d. There
must be really some extra-ordinary features to warrant grant of G
divorce on the basis of pleading (and other admitted material)
without a full trial. Irretrievable breakdown of the marriage is not
a ground by itself. But while scrutinising the evidence on record
to determine whether the ground(s) alleged is/are made out and in
• determining the relief to be granted, the said circumstance can H
846 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2005] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A certainly be borne in mind. The unusual step as the one taken by
us herein can be resorted to only to clear up an insoluable mess,
when the Court finds it in the interest of both parties."

The decision reported in Ramesh Chander v. Savitri, AIR (1995) SC
B 851 = (1995) AIR SCW 647 is yet another case where this Court in its
powers under Article 142 of the Constitution directed the dissolution of the
marriage subject to the transfer of the house of the husband in the name of
the wife. In that case, the parties had not enjoyed the company of each other
as husband and wife for 25 years, this is the second round of litigation which
routing through the trial court and the High Court has reached the Supreme
C Court. The appeal was based on cruelty. Both the Courts below have found
that the allegation was not proved and consequently it could not be made
the basis for claiming divorce. However, this Court after following the
earlier decisions and in exercise of its power under Article 142 of the
Constitution directed the marriage between the appellant and the respondent
D shall stand dissolved subject to the appellant transferring the house in the
name of his wife within four months from the date of the order and the
dissolution shall come int-0 effect when the house is transferred and posses-
sion is handed over to the wife.

The facts and circumstances in the above three cases disclose that
E reunion is impossible. Our case on hand is one such. It is not in dispute that
the appellant and the respondent are living away for the last 14 years. It is
also tru.e that a good part of the lives of both the parties has been consumed
in this litigat10n. As observed by this Court, the end is not in sight The
assertion of the wife through her learned counsel at the time of hearing
F appears to be impractical. It 1s also a matter of record that dislike for each
other was burning hot.

Before parting with this case, we think it necessary to say the following:

Marriages are made in heaven~ Both parties have crossed the point of
G no return. A worka~le solution is certainly not possible. Parties cannot at
this stage reconcile themselves and live together forgetting their past as a
bad dream. We, therefore, have no other option except to allow the appeal
--
and set aside the judgment of the High Court and affirming the order of the
Family Court granting decree for divorce. The Family Court has directea
H the appellant to pay a sum of Rs. 50,000 towards permanent alimony to the •
DURGA PRASANNA TRIPATHY v. ARUNDHATI TRIPATHY [LAKSHMANAN.J.J 847

respondent and pursuant to such direction the appellant had deposited the A
amount by way of bank draft. Considering the status of parties and the
economic condition of the appellant who is facing criminal prosecution and
out of job and also considering the status of the wife who is employed, we
feel that a further sum of Rs. 1 lakh by way of permanent alimony would
meet the ends of justice. This shall be paid by the appellant within 3 months B
from today by an account payee demand draft drawn in favour of the
respondent - Arundhati Tripathy and the dissolution shall come into effect
when the demand draft is drawn and furnished to the respondent.

In the result, the Civil Appeal is allowed. There will be no order as
to costs. c
B.B.B. Appeal allowed.

-

...