R. Narayana Pisharadi JUDGMENT
R. Narayana Pisharadi, J.
1. The appellant is the wife and the respondent is the husband. The challenge in this appeal is directed against the order passed by the Family Court, Thrissur dismissing O.P. No. 1971 of 2017 filed by the appellant.
2. O.P. No. 1971 of 2017 was filed by the appellant under Section 12(1)(a) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 (hereinafter referred to as 'the Act') for granting a decree of declaration that her marriage with the respondent is null and void. Her plea was that her marriage with the respondent was solemnised on 10.04.2017, but they lived together only for five days and that the marriage was not consummated because the respondent had no inclination towards her.
3. The respondent was set ex parte in the case before the Family Court. The appellant filed affidavit in lieu of oral evidence. The Family Court found that there is no plea raised by the appellant that the marriage was not consummated for the reason that the respondent was impotent and therefore, the ingredients of Section 12(1)(a) of the Act were not satisfied. Accordingly the Family Court dismissed the case.
4. We have heard the learned counsel for the appellant and also the respondent.
5. During pendency of the appeal, the parties herein have filed a joint petition as I.A. No. 2445 of 2018 under Section 13B of the Act for dissolution of marriage by a decree of divorce. They have also filed an application as I.A. No. 2446 of 2018 for waiving the period of six months which is provided under Section 13B(2) of the Act.
6. In Amardeep Singh v. Harveen Kaur : MANU/SC/1134/2017 : AIR 2017 SC 4417, the Supreme Court has held as follows:
18. Applying the above to the present situation, we are of the view that where the Court dealing with a matter is satisfied that a case is made out to waive the statutory period under Section 13-B(2), it can do so after considering the following:
i) the statutory period of six months specified in Section 13-B(2), in addition to the statutory period of one year under Section 13-B(1) of separation of parties is already over before the first motion itself;
ii) all efforts for mediation/conciliation including efforts in terms of Order XXXIIA, Rule 3, CPC/Section 23(2) of the Act/Section 9 of the Family Courts Act to re-unite the parties have failed and there is no likelihood of success in that direction by any further efforts;
iii) the parties have genuinely settled their differences including alimony, custody of child or any other pending issues between the parties;
iv) the waiting period will only prolong their agony.
19. The waiver application can be filed one week after the first motion giving reasons for the prayer for waiver.
20. If the above conditions are satisfied, the waiver of the waiting period for the second motion will be in the discretion of the concerned Court."