ROBASA KHANUM Vs. KHODADAD BOMANJI IRANI

JUDGEMENT

(1.) I have read the judgment which my learned brother is about to deliver and I am in entire agreement with it and have nothing to add. Chagla, J.

(2.) This is an appeal from the judgment of Mr. Justice Blagden. The suit was filed by a Muslim woman against her Zoroastrian husband for dissolution of marriage. The parties were married in 1927 in Iran according to the Zoroastrian law. In the plaint as originally filed the only ground on which a decree for dissolution of marriage was sought was desertion of the plaintiff by the defendant. The plaint was subsequently amended and a further ground was alleged, namely, that the plaintiff had ceased to be a Zoroastrian and had become a Muslim and that the defendant had declined to become a Muslim and was still continuing to be a Zoroastrian. It was therefore submitted that the plaintiff's marriage with the defendant was dissolved and a declaration was sought to that effect. The suit proceeded ex parie before Mr. Justice Blagden, and the learned Judge dismissed the suit.

(3.) The plaintiff's allegation with regard to desertion may be briefly dealt with. The learned Judge who had the advantage of seeing the plaintiff in the witness-box has refused to believe her on this point and has come to the conclusion that the charge of desertion was not well- founded. We see no reason on this question of fact to take a different view from that taken by the learned Judge below.