WHEREAS the Bombay Hindu Divorce Act, 1947 and the Saurashtra Hindu Divorce Act, 1952, provided that desertion for a continuous period of four years was a ground for granting divorce;

AND WHEREAS the said Acts were repealed by the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 ;

AND WHEREAS certain persons, deserted for a continuous period of four years before the commencement of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, instituted suits for divorce after such commencement, and were granted decrees of divorce ;

AND WHEREAS in Pauper Appeal No. 94 of 1956, Matrimonial Jurisdiction Suit No. 86 of 1956 (Sitabai Ramchandra Todankar vs. Ramachandra Raghunath Todankar) a Full Bench of the High Court at Bombay in appeal from its original civil jurisdiction held that such divorces granted, were illegal;

AND WHEREAS it appears that several divorces have been so irregularly granted, and decrees and orders passed accordingly ;

AND WHEREAS it is expedient to validate such decrees for divorce, and orders consequential thereto, so irregularly granted or made ;

It is hereby enacted in the Ninth Year of the Republic of India as follows:

 

1. Short title :- This Act may be called the Bombay Hindu Divorce (Decrees Validation) Act, 1958.

 

2. Validation of certain decrees :- (1) Notwithstanding the repeal of the Bombay Hindu Divorce Act, 1947 (Bom. XXII of 1947) and the Saurashtra Hindu Divorce Act, 1952, (Sau. XXX of 1952) by the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, (XXV of 1955) or anything contained in the last mentioned Act, or anything in the judgement, decree or order of any Court, any decree for divorce passed by a Court in a suit instituted, after the commencement of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, but before the 3rd day of July 1957, on the ground of desertion for a continuous period of four years under the Bombay Hindu Divorce Act, 1947 or under the Saurashtra Hindu Divorce Act, 1952, shall be deemed to be good and valid in law, as also all orders passed by such Court for alimony, for the disposal of joint property, for the custody, maintenance of education of minor children, or other relief consequential on or incidental to the decreeing of such divorce, as if such suit had been instituted before the commencement of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 ; and such decree for divorce, and orders consequential or incidental thereto, shall not be deemed to be invalid on the ground merely that the suit for such divorce had been instituted after the repeal of the Bombay Hindu Divorce Act, 1947, or as the case may be, of the Saurashtra Hindu Divorce Act, 1952, by the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, in consequence whereof no right to obtain such divorce survived after such repeal.

(2) Nothing contained in this section shall affect the judgement, decree or order of the High Court at Bombay delivered or passed in appeal from its original civil jurisdiction in Pauper Appeal No. 94 of 1956, Matrimonial Jurisdiction Suit No. 86 of 1956 (Sitabai

Ramchandra Todankar v Ramchandra Raghunath Todankar).