PERUMAL NADAR Vs. PONNUSWAMI I

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Perumal Nadar married Annapazham (daughter of Kailasa Nadar - an Indian Christian) on November 29, 1950, at Kannimadam in the State of Travancore-Cochin according to Hindu rites. Annapazham gave birth to two children - the first on September 14, 1951 and the other on March 5, 1958. The elder child died shortly after its birth. The younger named Ponnuswami acting through his mother Annapazham as his guardian filed an action in the Court of the Subordinate Judge, Tirunelveli, for separate possession of a half share in the properties of the joint family held by his father Perumal. The suit was defended by Perumal contending that he had not married Annapazham as claimed by her; that if it be proved that marriage ceremony had been performed, it was invalid, and in any event Ponnuswami was an illegitimate child and could not claim a share in his estate. The Trial Court rejected the defence, and decreed the suit. Perumal appealed to the High Court of Madras, but without success. With certificate under Article 133 (1) (c) of the Constitution, this appeal is preferred.

(2.) Three contentions are urged in support of this appeal:(1) that Annapazham was an Indian Christian and a marriage between a Hindu and an Indian Christian is regarded by the Courts in India as void; (2) that the marriage was invalid because it was prohibited by the Madras Act 6 of 1949; (3) that Annapazham and Perumal were living apart for a long time before the birth of Ponnuswami and on that account Ponnuswami could not be regarded as a legitimate child of Perumal.

(3.) Annapazham was born of Christian parents and she followed the Christian faith. She married Perusal when she was about 19 years of age. It is not now in dispute that on November 19, 1950 she went through the ceremony of marriage and lived with Perumal as his wife for several years thereafter. The children born to Annapazham in September 1951 and March 1958 were entered in the Register of Births as Hindus. On the occasion of the marriage, printed invitations were sent to the relatives of Perumal and of Annapazham and an agreement was executed by Perumal and Annapazham reciting that: