Sec 12(1)(c) of hindu marriage act
Murugesan
(Querist) 08 November 2021
This query is : Resolved
Can husband and husband's parent claim damages after divorce from ex-wife? Divorce was filed by wife under Sec 12(1)(c) of Hindu Marriage Act and it was contested and then the marriage was declared null and void. Can the husband's family claim damages from ex-wife and her family? Kindly give opinion sir...
kavksatyanarayana
(Expert) 08 November 2021
I opine, No. If the husband's family claims damages, then it might have been done at the time of divorce.
SHIRISH PAWAR, 7738990900
(Expert) 09 November 2021
Hello,
Yes, the Husband should have claimed the money in the same proceedings only. Separate petition and that too by husband's family is not possible.
P. Venu
(Expert) 10 November 2021
Admittedly, the petition was filed by the wife and her petition has been decreed. If so, how can the husband and his family claim damages?
Dr J C Vashista
(Expert) 11 November 2021
Section 12 in The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955
12 Voidable marriages .
(1) Any marriage solemnised, 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:
12 (1) (c) that the consent of the petitioner, or where the consent of the guardian in marriage of the petitioner 13 [was required under section 5 as it stood immediately before the commencement of the Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Act, 1978 (2 of 1978)*], the consent of such guardian was obtained by force 14 [or by fraud as to the nature of the ceremony or as to any material fact or circumstance concerning the respondent]; or
(d) that the respondent was at the time of the marriage pregnant by some person other than the petitioner.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), no petition for annulling a marriage
(a) on the ground specified in clause (c) of sub-section (1) shall be entertained if
(i) the petition is presented more than one year after the force had ceased to operate or, as the case may be, the fraud had been discovered; or
(ii) the petitioner has, with his or her full consent, lived with the other party to the marriage as husband or wife after the force had ceased to operate or, as the case may be, the fraud had been discovered;
(b) on the ground specified in clause (d) of sub-section (1) shall be entertained unless the court is satisfied
(i) that the petitioner was at the time of the marriage ignorant of the facts alleged;
(ii) that proceedings have been instituted in the case of a marriage solemnised before the commencement of this Act within one year of such commencement and in the case of marriages solemnised after such commencement within one year from the date of the marriage; and
(iii) that marital intercourse with the consent of the petitioner has not taken place since the discovery by the petitioner of the existence of 15 [the said ground].
(i) Non-disclosure of age and factum of having major children by husband at the time of marriage amounts to fraud and suppression of material facts having bearing on marriage. Marriage founded on fraud from very inception is a nullity; Sunder Lal Soni v. Smt. Namita Jain, AIR 2006 MP 51.
(ii) Misrepresentation as to the age of the bridegroom made to the mother who acted as an agent and the daughter consented for the marriage believing the statement to be true. It was held that the consent was vitiated by fraud; Babui Panmate v. Ram Agya Singh, AIR 1968 Pat 190.
What are the facts and your question ? How annulment of marriage is connected / correlated with damages ?
What is the opinion and advise of lawyer proceeded/ contested your case ?
