Bhaurao Shankar Lokhande v. State

AIR 1965 SC 1564

Ratio: S.494 IPC (bigamy) requires second marriage with proper ceremonies. Mere cohabitation not bigamy.

Saroj Rani v. Sudarshan Kumar

(1984) 4 SCC 90

Ratio: S.9 HMA (restitution of conjugal rights) is constitutional. Not violative of Art.14/21.

T. Sareetha v. Venkata Subbaiah

AIR 1983 AP 356

Ratio: AP HC struck down S.9 as violating Art.21 (privacy). OVERRULED by Saroj Rani.

Seema v. Ashwani Kumar

(2006) 2 SCC 578

Ratio: Compulsory registration of ALL marriages directed. Govt to frame rules within 3 months.

Naveen Kohli v. Neelu Kohli

(2006) 4 SCC 558

Ratio: SC recommended ‘irretrievable breakdown’ as a ground for divorce. Led to Shilpa Sailesh (2023).

Shilpa Sailesh v. Varun Sreenivasan

(2023) 2 SCC 567

Ratio: 5-Judge Bench: SC can grant divorce under Art.142 on irretrievable breakdown without statutory ground.

V. Bhagat v. D. Bhagat

(1994) 1 SCC 337

Ratio: Mental cruelty as ground for divorce elaborated. Mere wear and tear not sufficient.

Samar Ghosh v. Jaya Ghosh

(2007) 4 SCC 511

Ratio: Laid down 16 illustrative instances of mental cruelty as ground for divorce.

Chetan Dass v. Kamla Devi

(2001) 4 SCC 250

Ratio: Desertion requires both factum and animus deserendi. Constructive desertion by guilty spouse.

Bipinchandra v. Prabhavati

AIR 1957 SC 176

Ratio: Landmark on desertion: two elements required — factum of separation + animus deserendi.

Lachman v. Meena

(1964) 2 SCR 478

Ratio: Cruelty must be of such character as to cause apprehension of harm. Mere incompatibility is not cruelty.

Dastane v. Dastane

(1975) 2 SCC 326

Ratio: Standard of proof in matrimonial cases is preponderance of probabilities, not beyond reasonable doubt.

Amardeep Singh v. Harveen Kaur

(2017) 8 SCC 726

Ratio: S.13B(2) cooling-off period of 6 months can be waived by court in appropriate cases.

Anil Kumar Jain v. Maya Jain

(2009) 10 SCC 415

Ratio: Mutual consent divorce: both parties must give free consent. No party can unilaterally withdraw.

Sarla Mudgal v. UOI

(1995) 3 SCC 635

Ratio: Conversion to Islam + second marriage = bigamy S.494 IPC. First Hindu marriage not dissolved.

Lily Thomas v. UOI

(2000) 6 SCC 224

Ratio: Reaffirmed Sarla Mudgal. Art.25 no defence for conversion-bigamy.

Githa Hariharan v. RBI

(1999) 2 SCC 228

Ratio: Mother is the natural guardian ‘in the absence of’ the father = interpreted as ‘in all circumstances.’

Dolly Rani v. Manish Kumar

(2024) SC

Ratio: Marriage merely registered under HMA without performing ceremonies (saptapadi) is NOT valid.

Revanasiddappa v. Mallikarjun

(2023) SC 3-Judge

Ratio: Children of void marriages get share in parents’ property but NOT coparceners.

Sukhdev Singh v. Sukhbir Kaur

(2025) SC

Ratio: Spouse of void marriage entitled to S.25 HMA alimony. ‘Illegitimate wife’ term violates Art.21.

EXAM TIP: For exams, the Big 5 HMA cases are: (1) Shilpa Sailesh (2023 — Art.142 divorce); (2) Saroj Rani (restitution constitutional); (3) Samar Ghosh (16 instances of cruelty); (4) Amardeep Singh (waiver of cooling-off); (5) Sarla Mudgal (conversion + bigamy).