Supreme Court Ends 24-Year Estrangement, Grants Divorce Citing Cruelty & Societal Harm

• Supreme Court granted divorce to a couple separated for 24 years, calling the forced continuation of a broken marriage "cruelty" and "harmful for society."
• The apex court utilized its special powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to dissolve the marriage, emphasizing complete justice.
• A bench of Justice Manmohan and Justice Joymalya Bagchi stated that long-term separation and inability to reconcile make divorce the only option, as such marriages exist only on paper.
• The case involved a love marriage where differences arose within two years, leading to the wife living separately for 24 years; the husband approached SC after Guwahati High Court overturned a Family Court divorce.
• The court clarified that in matrimonial matters, it's not about who is right or wrong, but the refusal to adjust constitutes cruelty, especially when there are no children involved.

Why It Matters: SC uses Article 142 to end 24-year separation, ruling broken marriages are cruel and harmful.