In Brief
A wife challenged a divorce decree granted on grounds of desertion after more than a decade of separation. The Supreme Court held that when parties have lived separately for over ten years and all reconciliation efforts have failed, the matrimonial bond is irretrievably broken. The Court exercised power under Article 142 to dissolve the marriage and directed the husband to pay Rs. 10 lakhs total maintenance to the wife and daughter in two instalments. All pending matrimonial litigation between the parties was disposed of to enable them to live peacefully.
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