Chhattisgarh HC: Second Marriage Without Divorce is Mental Cruelty; No Maintenance for Unjustified Separation

• The Chhattisgarh High Court delivered two significant judgments in matrimonial cases, emphasizing that legal misuse will not be tolerated.
• In a major ruling, the High Court in Bilaspur stated that marrying a second time without a divorce constitutes mental cruelty towards the first wife, preventing the husband from seeking divorce.
• The court dismissed a husband's appeal, upholding the Raipur Family Court's order, as he violated the law by remarrying without divorce.
• In a separate case, the High Court clarified that a wife living separately from her husband without concrete and valid reasons is not entitled to maintenance.
• This decision, delivered by a single bench of the Chief Justice, upheld the Family Court's order and dismissed the wife's review petition, stressing the need for valid reasons for separation to claim relief.

Why It Matters: Chhattisgarh HC rules second marriage without divorce is mental cruelty; no maintenance for unjustified spousal separation.