The amendment to the Hindu Marriage Act and the Special Marriage Act — introducing “irretrievable breakdown” as a ground for divorce — will save a lot of delay and harassment. Family break-ups and legal separation of couples are never easy. The amendment will provide a solution to those in dire need of divorce. Those who file a petition for divorce by mutual consent suffer if one of the parties abstains from court proceedings and keeps them inconclusive. This problem will be effectively addressed by the amendment.
Harpreet Sandhu,
Ludhiana
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This refers to the timely editorial “Of wedlock and deadlock” (June 15). Society has treated divorce as taboo for long. We just cannot accept that “irreconcilable” differences can surface in a marriage. Lacking courage to face society, many couples accept inhuman and compromising ways of living together as a better choice than breaking the wedlock. Despite irretrievable breakdown, they put up with the marriage, unknowingly providing a bad environment for their children to grow.
Varad Seshadri,
Sunnyvale
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No doubt the Union Cabinet's acceptance of the recommendations of the Law Commission and the higher judiciary to make irretrievable breakdown a ground for divorce is welcome as it is based on rational thinking and also in accordance with the Islamic law, which stands for a trouble-free and dignified separation in case a couple cannot live together despite their best efforts.
V.M. Khaleelur Rahman,
Ambur
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In line with the fast-changing lifestyles, the word ‘divorce' has been losing the negative connotations in Hindu religion too. However, divorce is like an amputation. You will survive it but you will have to live with something less for the rest of your life. Both the man and woman live with lingering bitterness for long.
S. Srimoolnathan,
El Dorado
