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TypeBare Act JurisdictionCentral Government

Divorce Act, 1869

Complete Act - all sections

~3 min read
https://sooperkanoon.com/act/52045

Bare act · Research

About this act

Divorce Act, 1869 is Central state legislation published on SooperKanoon in full. Use this page to read the bare act and jump to judgments that cite it.

Research copy - verify against official government publications before filing or court use.

Act Text

Preamble1 - Divorce Act, 1869
Chapter1 - Preliminary
Section1 - Short Title, Commencement of the Act
Section2 - Extent of Act
Section3 - Interpretation-clause
Chapter2 - Jurisdiction
Section4 - Matrimonial Jurisdiction of High Courts to Be Exercised Subject to Act-exception
Section5 - Enforcement of Decrees or Orders Made Heretofore by Supreme Court or High Court
Section6 - Pending Suits
Section7 - Court to Act on Principles of English Divorce Court(Repealed)
Section8 - Extraordinary Jurisdiction of High Court
Section9 - Reference to High Court
Chapter3 - Dissolution of Marriage
Section10 - Grounds for Dissolution of Marriage
Section10A - Dissolution of Marriage by Mutual Consent
Section11 - Adulterer or Adulteress to Be Co-respondent
Section12 - Court to Be Satisfied of Absence Ofcollusion
Section13 - Dismissal Ofpetition
Section14 - Power to Court to Pronounce Decree for Dissolving Marriage
Section15 - Relief in Case of Opposition on Certain Grounds
Section16 - Decrees for Dissolution to Benisi
Section17 - Power of High Court to Remove Certain Suits
Section17A - Appointment of officer to exercise duties of King's Proctor (Repealed)
Chapter4 - Nullity of Marriage
Section18 - Petition for Decree Ofnullity
Section19 - Grounds of Decree
Section20 - Confirmation of District Judge's decree (Repealed)
Section21 - Children of Annulled Marriage
Chapter5 - Judicial Separation
Section22 - Bar to Decree for Divorce a Mensa Et Toro; but Judicial Separation Obtainable by Husband or Wife
Section23 - Application for Separation Made by Petition
Section24 - Separated Wife Deemed Spinster with Respect to After-acuqired Property
Section25 - Separated Wife Deemed Spinster for Purposes of Contract and Suing
Section26 - Reversal of Decree of Separation: Decree of Separation Obtained During Absence of Husband or Wife May Bereversed
Chapter6 - Protection-orders
Section27 - Deserted Wife May Apply to Court for Protection
Section28 - Court May Grant Protection-order
Section29 - Discharge or Variation Oforders
Section30 - Liability of husband seizing wife's property after notice of order
Section31 - Wife's legal position during continuance of order
Chapter7 - Restitution of Conjugal Rights
Section32 - Petition for Restitution of Conjugal Rights
Section33 - Answerto Petition
Chapter8 - Damages and Costs
Section34 - Husband May Claimdamages from Adulterer(Repealed)
Section35 - Power to Order Adulterer Topay Costs(Repealed)
Chapter9 - Alimony
Section36 - Alimony Pendente Lite
Section37 - Powerto Order Permanent Alimony
Section38 - Courtmay Direct Payment of Alimony to Wife or to Her Trustee
Chapter10 - Settlements
Section39 - Power to order sittlement of wife's property for benefit of husband and children (Repealed)
Section40 - Inquiry into Existence of Ante-nuptial or Post-nuptial Settlements
Chapter11 - Custody of Children
Section41 - Power to Make Orders as to Custody of Children in Suit for Separation
Section42 - Power to Make Such Orders After Decree
Section43 - Powerto Make Orders as to Custody of Children in Suits for Dissolution or Nullity
Section44 - Power to Make Such Orders After Decree or Confirmation
Chapter12 - Procedure
Section45 - Codeof Civil Procedure to Apply
Section46 - Formsof Petitions and Statements
Section47 - Petition to State Absence of Collusion
Section48 - Suitson Behalf of Lunatics
Section49 - Suitsby Minors
Section50 - Service of Petition
Section51 - Mode of Taking Evidence
Section52 - Competence of Husband and Wife to Give Evidence as to Cruelty or Desertion
Section53 - Power to Close Doors
Section54 - Power to Adjourn
Section55 - Enforcement Of, and Appeal From, Orders and Decree
Section56 - Appeal to the Supreme Court
Chapter13 - Re-marriage
Section57 - Liberty to Parties to Marry Again
Section58 - English Clergyman Not Compelled to Solemnize Marriages of Persons Divorced Foradultery
Section59 - English Minister Refusing to Perform Ceremony to Permit Use of His Church
Chapter14 - Miscellaneous
Section60 - Decree for Separation or Protection-order Valid as to Persons Dealing with Wife Before Reversal
Section61 - Bar of Suit for Criminal Conversation
Section62 - Power to Make Rules
Schedule1 - Schedule of Forms

Frequently asked questions

What is the Divorce Act, 1869?

The Divorce Act, 1869, is Central state legislation available in full text on SooperKanoon. It is commonly used for legal research alongside judgments that interpret and apply its provisions.

How can I find court judgments citing the Divorce Act, 1869?

Use “Find citing judgments” on this page to search reported decisions from Indian courts and tribunals that reference the Divorce Act, 1869. You can also start from the Bare Acts hub or run an advanced act search for tighter filters.

Is the act text on SooperKanoon official?

SooperKanoon hosts bare act text for research and quick reference. For filings or compliance in Central, confirm the wording against the official state gazette or authorized publication.

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