Delhi HC: Customary Divorce Among Hindus (Outside Hindu Marriage Act) Can Be Recognised Only Based on Solid Evidence

The article reports that the Delhi High Court held that customary divorces among Hindus — effected outside the statutory framework of the Hindu Marriage Act — will be recognized legally only if supported by clear, cogent, contemporaneous evidence. The Court clarified that informal or undocumented separation rituals do not automatically amount to divorce under law. The ruling addresses legal validity of non-statutory divorce practices, balancing social customs with statutory safeguards and ensuring protection of rights of parties (especially wives).