RANJIT THOMAS Vs. ANNIE R THOMAS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This is a petition under Section 18 read with Section 19 of the Indian Divorce Act. Petitioner seeks declaration of his marriage with respondent as null and void on the ground that the consent of the respondent was obtained by force by her parents.

(2.) The marriage between the parties took place on 26/04/1992 according to the Christian riles and customs at St. Peter's Cathedral, Kottayam in the State of Kerala. It was an arranged marriage. The parents of the petitioner responded to the advertisement that appeared in the matrimonial column given by the parents of the respondent. The petitioner is practising as a lawyer in Delhi and the respondent is working as an Assistant Commandant in Central Reserve Police.

(3.) However, the parties have lastly resided together in Delhi. They lived together for an inordinately short stint i.e.- a week's time. It is alleged that during this period even though the petitioner made attempts to have intimate relationship with the respondent, the respondent did not show any interest in the married life and declined " to cooperate with any of the gestures made by the petitioner. The respondent con- tinued her attitude of carelessness and uneasiness towards the petitioner. The petitioner wanted to know the reasons for such strange behaviour. The respondent disclosed on 20/05/1992 that she was not interested to marry the petitioner and thai she had just performed the rites of the marriage with the petitioner only to satisfy her parents. The said disclosure was severe shock to the petitioner as according to him had-she disclosed the same before the marriage, he would not have entered into the wedlock. Thereafter, the respondent left Delhi to join her duty at Ayodhya. The petitioner made numerous attempts to persuade her to five with him as wife but she never responded in any manner and preferred to keep away from the petitioner.