Desertion is a recognized ground for divorce under Indian law, but it goes far beyond one spouse simply walking away. Courts require proof of both physical separation and an intention to permanently abandon marital life, without reasonable cause. Landmark judgments—from Bipinchandra to Savitri Pandey—have shaped this interpretation, highlighting that desertion is about the abandonment of obligations, not just absence.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled that a child's fundamental right to know their parentage outweighs a man's right to privacy, allowing a paternity DNA test. This decision re-evaluates the presumption of legitimacy under Section 112 of the Indian Evidence Act.

Navigate the latest in Indian maintenance law with our updated guide. Discover how the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and 2025 reforms to the Hindu Marriage Act (HMA) impact filing for financial support. Learn about new divorce grounds like irretrievable breakdown, expanded cruelty definitions, mandatory financial disclosures, and the Supreme Court's directives on lifestyle-linked, periodically increasing alimony.

In a significant ruling, the Calcutta High Court has affirmed the right of a transgender person to inherit ancestral property under the Hindu Succession Act, 1956. The Court applied a purposive interpretation to the term 'son' to include transgender individuals who identify as male. This judgment gives effect to the spirit of the Supreme Court's NALSA decision, recognizing that gender identity, not biological sex at birth, is the core of the matter for civil rights.

Because when marriages become battlefields, the law is no longer just a shield—it becomes the terrain.

Supreme Court rules that legitimacy under Section 112 does not bar paternity inquiries in maintenance claims. DNA tests must be justified.

Comprehensive guide to divorce law in India: rights, grounds, child custody, and legal advice for a smoother process.