In Brief
A married couple—both District Judges—were living separately for 17 years due to matrimonial discord. The husband sought divorce under the Special Marriage Act, 1954, but the trial court and High Court rejected his application for failing to prove legal grounds. The Supreme Court allowed the appeal, holding that where a marriage has irretrievably broken down and parties cannot live together, the Court may invoke Article 142 to grant divorce even without strict proof of statutory grounds, particularly where refusing to do so would constitute mental cruelty.
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