Delhi High Court: Hindu Marriage Cannot Be Dissolved Through Informal Deed

The Delhi High Court has held that a Hindu marriage cannot be dissolved by signing a "marriage dissolution deed" before villagers or social witnesses.

A bench of Justices C Hari Shankar and Om Prakash Shukla dismissed a plea by a CISF constable who claimed his first marriage ended through such a deed before he remarried.

The Court said no law permits dissolution of a duly solemnised Hindu marriage outside the legal process.

Upholding his dismissal from service for contracting a second marriage, the Court noted he had no defence and declined to reduce the punishment.

[Ashwani Kumar v. UOI]