The court system was established to protect against injustice, but justice must
take precedence over injustice. Contradictions between constitutional and
statutory provisions can occur as a result of exceptional situations in which
the Supreme Court has used its extraordinary powers in ways that conflict with
the law. As the highest court in our nation, the Supreme Court has oversight
authority over lesser courts and tribunals to make sure that any decisions made
by them are in line with the principles of justice, equity, and equality. In
order to provide "complete justice" to its inhabitants, the Indian
Constitution's Article 142 grants the Supreme Court this authority.
It is the execution of Supreme Court rulings and orders in the exercise of the
authority deemed necessary for providing full justice. It is seen as a tool that
establishes a balance between divergent interests and, in the end, guarantees
that the upright always succeeds. The right should only be exercised to further
the interests of justice by filling up any gaps left by weak or absent
legislation. It should not be utilized carelessly. It is a step toward a justice
orientation that is in opposition to the stringent legal requirements and
promotes equity over the law.
It must be remembered that when using these corrective powers, they have a
responsibility to uphold constitutional norms. It is the judiciary's
responsibility to breathe life and blood into the legislative provisions in our
nation, where judges play a very important role[2]. However, there may be some
defining characteristics that are integral to the idea of full justice and the
requirement that justice must be comparable to fairness[
What Is Article 142 Of The Indian Constitution
Article 142 "grant(s) a special authority to the Supreme Court, to conduct 'full
justice' between the parties, i.e., when at times law or legislation may not
afford a remedy, the Court may extend itself to put a quietus to a dispute in a
way that would befit the facts of the case.
Meaning Of Article 142 Of The Indian Constitution
Article 142- Enforcement Of Decrees And Others Of Supreme Court And Others As To Discovery, Etc
Article 142 of the Indian Constitution contains two clauses that elaborate on
the powers granted to Supreme Court to decide the cases in the case for doing
necessary justice.
According to Article 142(1), "The Supreme Court may pass such decree or make
such order in the exercise of its jurisdiction as is necessary for doing
complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it, and any decree or
order so passed or order so made shall be enforceable throughout the territory
of India in such manner as may be prescribed by or under any law made by
Parliament and, until provision in that behalf is so made, in such manner as the
President may by order preside over any such cause or matter."
According to Article 142(2), about the entirety of Indian territory, the Supreme
Court and the Parliament are each fully empowered to issue any orders necessary
to secure any individual's presence, the discovery or production of any
documents, or the investigation or punishment of any acts of
self-insubordination.
Cases Where Supreme Court Used Its Powers Under Article 142
- Case of the Babri Masjid (M.Siddiq V Mahent Suresh Das and others):
The item was utilized in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case and was crucial in ensuring that the contested land was given to a trust that would be established by the Union government.
- Bhopal Gas Tragedy (Union Carbide v. Union Government case):
The SC used its full authority to intervene and award compensation to the victims of the horrific Bhopal Gas Tragedy.
- In Golak Nath v. State of Punjab, the court held that the statute it had issued was the supreme law of the land. Denying this Court this authority because it only interprets existing laws rather than creating new ones would render useless the potent tools of justice entrusted to the highest court in the land.
- MC Mehta V Union of India (Taj Mahal Case), the Supreme Court
noted that in addition to toxins, socioeconomic conditions also had an
impact on Taj's
deterioration. Air pollution put the residents of the Trapezium Zone in danger.
The court mandated that 292 enterprises run with safe fuels like propane rather
than coke or coal or face relocation. For gas applications, there existed the
Gas Authority of India Limited. The court also granted a limited number of
fundamental rights to employees in certain businesses and mandated that they be
paid during the relocation process.
Present Situation
Facts of the case
According to the relevant circumstances of the case, the respondent's family was
situated in Canada, and the couple's marriage was performed according to Hindu
traditions in Jalandhar. Thereafter, the marriage was solemnized under Hindu
rites and customs. The parties were only present for a two-month time since the
respondent had to leave for Canada to be with her family. The respondent was
attempting to get the appellant to immigrate to Canada at his request, but this
was not done with the appellant's agreement. The respondent gained Canadian
citizenship and left India.
The parties lived together for barely two and a half months before a fight broke
out and the respondent again parted ways with the appellant. the Panchayat
intervened and asked them to live apart from their family, in a rented
residence, but that too did not last for more than a month as no papers were
filed with the Canadian authorities for immigration during this time, and the
appellant was blamed for sending incomplete papers. The issue
The appellant filed a suit for dissolution of marriage alleging cruelty and
desertion by the respondent. This resulted in the appellant filing a petition
for divorce under Section 13(1)(ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. However,
the District Judge dismissed the lawsuit, and the Calcutta High Court supported
the Trial Court's ruling. The respondent accused the appellant of adultery and
binge drinking.
Factors that have to be taken into consideration indicating the breakdown of
marriage:
- The length of the parties' post-marriage cohabitation
- Their most recent cohabitation
- The nature of the accusations made by the parties and their family members are the first two factors to consider.
- The separation should last a long enough time; anything that is relevant will be something that is six years or more.
- Whether and how many attempts were made to resolve the conflicts through judicial involvement, mediation, etc. The court held that the aforementioned considerations must be made while taking into account the economic and social position of the parties, whether or not they have children, their age, level of education, and whether or not the other spouse and children are dependent, among other things.
Decision
The Court granted a decree of divorce and dissolved the marriage after learning
about the legal dispute after ten years, acting by its authority under Article
142 of the Indian Constitution. The Court claimed that the provisions of Article
142 give the Supreme Court a special power to "complete justice" between the
parties. The Supreme Court noted that maintaining this marriage would not only
be futile but would also subject both parties to additional emotional distress.
It would benefit both sides if this ended as soon as possible. In Court's
opinion, the marriage between the parties was emotionally dead and there was no
point in persuading them to live together anymore. Hence, the present matter was
found fit for the exercise of jurisdiction under Article 142 of the Constitution
of India and the marriage was dissolved.
Procedure To Invoke Divorce Under The Hindu Marriage Act Of 1955
"Divorce by mutual consent" is a legal option under HMA Section 13B. The
petition must be submitted jointly by both spouses to the district court "on the
ground that they have been living separately for a period of one year or more,
that they have been unable to live together, and that they have mutually agreed
that the marriage should be dissolved."
According to Section 13B(2) of the Act, if the petition is not withdrawn in the
interim, the parties must file a second motion with the court "not earlier than
six months after the date of the presentation of the [first] petition and not
later than eighteen months after the said date." The six-month waiting period is
necessary so that the parties would have enough opportunity to change their
minds.
After that, "the court shall, upon finding that the averments in the petition
are true, after hearing the parties and after making such inquiry as it thinks
fit, pass a decree of divorce declaring the marriage to be dissolved with effect
from the date of the decree." After a year of marriage, a petition for divorce
by mutual consent may be filed.
A request for an exemption from the six-month waiting time stipulated by Section
13B(2) may be made in an application for an exemption submitted to the family
court. The case was particularly related to section 13(2) where a waiting period
of six months is granted to both parties so that they can amicably come to a
solution.
The Supreme Court ruled in
Amit Kumar v. Suman Beniwal in 2021 that the
six-month cooling-off period after the filing of the divorce petition shall be
followed in cases where there is even a remote possibility of reconciliation. It
would be pointless to prolong the suffering of the parties to the marriage,
nevertheless, if there is no chance of reconciliation.
Conclusion
The Supreme Court of India has a rare and exceptional jurisdiction under Article
142 of the Indian Constitution to issue an order or judgment that would bring
full justice to plaintiffs who have endured several processes that have been
polluted with obvious illegality or unfairness. This clause, as intended by the
Constitution's founders, is of the highest importance to individuals who are
alarmed about the delay in receiving their essential reliefs as a result of the
law's putrid state and the weak position of the legal system.
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