Hindu Marriage Act, 1955

25. Permanent alimony and maintenance. (1) Any Court exercising jurisdiction under this Act may, at the time of passing any decree or at any time subsequent thereto, on application made to it for the purpose by either the wife or the husband, as the case may be, order that theRead…

8. Registration of Hindu Marriages. (1) For the purpose of facilitating the proof of Hindu Marriages, the State Government may make rules providing that the parties to any such marriage may have the particulars relating to their marriage entered in such manner and subject such to conditions as may beRead…

13. Divorce. (1) Any marriage solemnized, whether before or after the commencement of this Act, may, on a petition presented by either the husband or the wife, be dissolved by a decree of divorce on the ground that the other party- (i) has, after the solemnization of the marriage, hadRead…

RESTITUTION OF CONJUGAL RIGHTS AND JUDICIAL SEPARATION 9. Restitution of conjugal rights. When either the husband or the wife has, without reasonable excuse, withdrawn from the society of the other, the aggrieved party may apply, by petition to the District Court, for restitution of conjugal rights and the Court, onRead…

PRELIMINARY 1. Short title and extent. (1) This act may be called the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. (2) It extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir and applies also to Hindus domiciled in the territories to which this Act extends who are outside theRead…

2. Application of Act. (1) This Act applies- (a) to any person who is a Hindu by religion in any of its forms or developments, including a Virashaiva, a Lingayat or a follower of the Brahma, Parthana or Arya Samaj, (b) to any person who is a Buddhist, Jaina or SikhRead…

3. Definitions (Hindu Marriage Act) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,- (a) the expression “Custom” and “usage” signify any rule which, having been continuously and uniformly observed for a long time, has obtained the force or law among Hindus in any local area, tribe, community, group of family:Read…

4. Overriding effect of Act. Save as otherwise expressly provided in this Act- (a) any test, rule or interpretation of Hindu law or any custom or usage as part of that law in force immediately before the commencement of this Act shall cease to have been effect with respect toRead…

HINDU MARRIAGES 5. Conditions for a Hindu Marriage. A marriage may be solemnized between two Hindus, if the following conditions are fulfilled, namely- (i) neither party has a spouse living at the time of the marriage; (ii) at the time of the marriage, neither party- (a) is incapable of givingRead…

6. Guardianship in marriage. [Repealed by the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1978] Read full Hindu Marriage Act on a single page. Download beautiful, colourful Hindu Marriage Act PDF.Read…

7. Ceremonies for a Hindu Marriage. (1) A Hindu marriage may be solemnized in accordance with the customary rites and ceremonies of either party thereto. (2) Where such rites and ceremonies include the Saptapadi (that is the taking of seven steps by the bridegroom and the bride jointly before the fire),Read…

10. Judicial Separation. (1) Either party to a marriage, whether solemnized before or after the commencement of this Act, may present a petition praying for a decree of judicial separation on any of the grounds specified in sub-section (1) of section 13 and in the case of a wife onRead…

NULLITY OF MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE 11. Void Marriages. Any marriage solemnised after the commencement of this Act, shall be null and void and may, on a petition presented by either party thereto against the other party, be so declared by a decree of nullity if it contravenes any one ofRead…

12. Voidable Marriages. (1) Any marriage solemnized; whether before or after the commencement of this Act, shall be voidable and may be annulled by a decree of nullity on any of the following grounds, namely;- (a) that the marriage has not been consummated owing to the impotence of the respondent;Read…

13A. Alternate relief in divorce proceedings. In any proceedings under this Act, on a petition for dissolution of marriage by a decree of divorce, except in so far as the petition is founded on the grounds mentioned in clauses (ii), (vi) and (vii) of sub- section (1) of section 13,Read…

13B. Divorce by mutual consent. (1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, a petition for dissolution of marriage by a decree of divorce may be presented to the district Court by both the parties to a marriage together, whether such marriage was solemnized before or after the commencement ofRead…

14. No petition for divorce to be presented within one year of marriage. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, it shall not be competent for any Court to entertain any petition for dissolution of a marriage by a decree of divorce unless at the date of presentation of theRead…

15. Divorced persons when may marry again. When a marriage has been dissolved by a decree of divorce and either there is no right of appeal against the decree or, if there is such a right of appeal, the time for appealing has expired without an appeal having been presented,Read…

16. Legitimacy of children of void and voidable marriages. (1) Notwithstanding that a marriage is null and void under section 11, any child of such marriage who would have been legitimate, if the marriage had been valid, shall be legitimate, whether such child is born before or after the commencementRead…

17. Punishment of Bigamy. Any marriage between two Hindus solemnized after the commencement of this Act is void if at the date of such marriage either party had a husband or wife living; and the provisions of Sections 494 and 495 of the Indian Penal Code shall apply accordingly. ReadRead…

18. Punishment for contravention of certain other conditions for a Hindu Marriage. Every person who procures a marriage of himself or herself to be solemnized under this Act in contravention of the condition specified in clauses (iii), (iv) and (v) of section 5 shall be punishable- (a) in the caseRead…

JURISDICTION AND PROCEDURE 19. Court to which petition shall be presented. Every petition under this Act shall be presented to the district court within the local limits of whose ordinary original civil jurisdiction- (i) the marriage was solemnized, or (ii) the respondent, at the time of the presentation of theRead…

20. Contents and verification of petitions. (1) Every petition presented under this Act shall state as distinctly as the nature of the case permits the facts on which the claim to relief is founded, and except in a petition under section 11, shall also state that there is no collusionRead…

21. Application of Act no.5 of 1908. Subject to the other provisions contained in this Act and to such rules as the High Court may make in this behalf, all proceedings under this Act shall be regulated, as far as may be, by the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908. ReadRead…

21A. Power to transfer petitions in certain cases. (1) Where- (a) a petition under this Act has been presented to a district court having jurisdiction by a party to a marriage praying for a decree for judicial separation under section 10 or for a decree of divorce under section 13Read…

21B. Special provisions relating to trial and disposal of petition under the Act. (1) The trial of a petition under this Act, shall, so far as it is practicable consistently with the interests of justice in respect of the trial, be continued from day to day until its conclusion unlessRead…

21C. Documentary evidence. Notwithstanding anything in any enactment to the contrary, no document shall be inadmissible in evidence in any proceedings at the trial of a petition under this Act on the ground that it is not duly stamped or registered. Read full Hindu Marriage Act on a single page.Read…

22.Proceedings to be in camera and may not be printed or published. (1) Every proceeding under this Act shall be concluded in camera and it shall not be lawful for any person to print or publish any matter in relation to any such proceeding except a judgment of the HighRead…

23. Decree in proceedings. (1) In any proceeding under this Act, whether defended or not, if the Court is satisfied that- (a) any of the grounds for granting relief exists and the petitioner except in cases where the relief is sought by him on the ground specified in sub-clause (a),sub-clauseRead…

23A. Relief for respondent in divorce and other proceedings. In any proceeding for divorce or judicial separation or restitution of conjugal rights, the respondent may not only oppose the relief sought on the ground of petitioner’s adultery, cruelty or desertion, but also make a counter-claim for any relief under thisRead…

24. Maintenance pendent elite and expenses of proceedings. Where in any proceedings under this Act, it appears to the Court that either the wife or the husband, as the case may be, has no independent income sufficient for her or his support and the necessary expenses of the proceedings ,Read…

26. Custody of children. In any proceeding under this Act, the Court may, from time to time, pass such interim orders and, make such provisions in the decree as it may deem just and proper with respect to the custody, maintenance and education of minor children, consistently with their wishes,Read…

27. Disposal of property. In any proceeding under this Act, the court may make such provisions in the decree as it deems just and proper with respect to any property presented, at or about the time of marriage, which may belong jointly to both the husband and the wife. ReadRead…

28. Appeal from decrees and orders. (1) All decrees made by the Court in any proceeding under this Act shall, subject in any proceeding under this Act shall, subject to the provisions of sub-section (3), be applicable as decree of the Court made in the exercise of its original civilRead…

28A. Enforcement of decrees and orders. All decrees and orders made by the Court in any proceeding under this Act shall be enforced in the like manner as the decrees and orders of the Court made in the exercise of its original civil jurisdiction for the time being are enforced.Read…

SAVINGS AND REPEALS 29. Savings. (1) A marriage solemnized between Hindus before the commencement of this Act, which is otherwise valid, shall not be deemed to be invalid or even to have been invalid by reason only of the fact that the parties thereto belonged to the same gotra orRead…

30. Repeals. Repealed by the Repealing and Amending Act, 1960 (Act no.58 of 1960) section 2 and first schedule with effect from 16 February, 1960. Read full Hindu Marriage Act on a single page. Download beautiful, colourful Hindu Marriage Act PDF.Read…