It is 6 months for Divorce Applicants

New Delhi, Sept 13: Supreme Court has suggested a relief for people who want to take divorce.The Apex court yesterday has said that "the minimum cooling period of six months for granting the divorce under the Hindu law can be waived by a trial court if there was no possibility of cohabitation between an estranged couple."

Currently, any couple who apply for divorce must live separately for 6 months between the first and the last motion for seeking divorce by mutual consent to explore the possibility of settlement and cohabitation under the 1955 Hindu Marriage Act.

Supreme court bench has said that "We are of the view that the period mentioned in Section 13B (2) is not mandatory but directory; it will be open to the court to exercise its discretion in the facts and circumstances of each case where there is no possibility of parties resuming cohabitation and there are chances of alternative rehabilitation".

The court also said that "the object of the cooling off period was to safeguard against a hurried decision if there was otherwise a possibility of differences being reconciled."

Finally, many couples have hailed the decision and said that it would help them to get divorced quickly and they can start a new life.