LexDEEP MUKERJEE versus SREYASHI BANERJEE
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* Author [2024] 4 S.C.R. 72 : 2024 INSC 274 Deep Mukerjee v. Sreyashi Banerjee (Civil Appeal No(s). 4722-4723 of 2024) 05 April 2024 [Vikram Nath and Prashant Kumar Mishra,* JJ.] Issue for Consideration Matter pertains to subjecting the husband to undergo potentiality test. Headnotes Matrimonial laws – Matrimonial disputes – Medical tests – Potentiality test for husband – Divorce petition by the wife on the ground that the marriage between the parties was not consummated because of the husband’s impotency – Application by husband for subjecting the husband to undergo potentiality test and referring the wife for fertility test and psychological/mental health test for both the parties – Allowed by the trial court, however set aside by the High Court – Correctness: Held: When the husband is willing to undergo potentiality test, the High Court should have upheld the order of the trial court to that extent – Order passed by the trial court directing the husband to take the medical test to determine his potentiality upheld – Impugned order passed by the High Court modified to that extent – Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 – Evidence Act, 1872. [Para 9] Case Law Cited Sharda v. Dharmpal [2003] 3 SCR 106 : (2003) 4 SCC 493 – referred to. List of Acts Hindu Marriage Act, 1955; Evidence Act, 1872; Code of Civil Procedure, 1908. List of Keywords Divorce petition; Non-consummation of marriage; Impotency; Medical tests; Potential test; Fertility test; Psychological/mental health test. [2024] 4 S.C.R. 73 Deep Mukerjee v. Sreyashi Banerjee Case Arising From CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal Nos.4722-4723 of 2024 From the Judgment and Order dated 28.11.2023 of the High Court of Judicature at Madras in CRPPD No. 2844 and 2848 of 2023 Appearances for Parties B Ragunath, Mrs. N C Kavitha, Vijay Kumar, Advs. for the Appellant. K. S. Mahadevan, Ms. Swati Bansal, Rangarajan .R, Aravind Gopinathan, Rajesh Kumar, Advs. for the Respondent. Judgment / Order of the Supreme Court Judgment Prashant Kumar Mishra, J. Leave granted. 2. Challenge in these appeals is to the common order dated 28.11.2023 passed by the High Court in Civil Revision Petition Nos. 2844 and 2848 of 2023 allowing the revisions while setting aside the order dated 27.06.2023 passed by the Trial Court in I.A. Nos. 8 & 9 of 2023 preferred by the appellant/husband in O.P. No. 2866 of 2021. 3. The parties were married on 23.07.2013 at Chennai and thereafter they agreed to move to the United Kingdom where they stayed together happily for a period of 7½ years. After they returned, they stayed together in a residential property belonging to the respondent/ wife’s father. However, upon disputes being cropped, they have separated in April, 2021 and since then, it is alleged by the appellant/ husband that the respondent/wife neither joined his company nor responded to any communication and/or messages of the appellant/ husband. 4. The appellant/husband preferred application under Section 9 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 19551 before the Additional Principal Family Court at Chennai, seeking restitution of conjugal rights being OP No. 2441 of 2021 whereas the respondent/wife subsequently preferred 1 ‘Act,1955’ 74 [2024] 4 S.C.R. Digital Supreme Court Reports OP No. 2866 of 2021 for grant of decree of divorce under Section 13(1) (ia) of the Act, 1955 on the ground that the marriage between the parties has not consummated because of the appellant/husband’s impotency. 5. In the above factual background, the appellant/husband moved I.A. Nos. 8 & 9 of 2023 under Section 45 of the Indian Evidence Act read with Section 151 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 19082 for subjecting the appellant/husband to undergo potentiality test and at the same time referring the respondent/wife for fertility test and psychological/mental health test for both the parties. Vide order dated 27.06.2023, the Trial Court allowed the above interim applications on the condition that a competent medical board shall be constituted by the Dean, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Chennai to conduct the subject tests for both the parties as prayed for in the interim applications and the report of the medical board be sent to the Court through the advocate Commissioner in a sealed cover. Both the parties were directed not to reveal the result of the tests to any third party and maintain complete secrecy. 6. The Trial Court’s order dated 27.06.2023 was challe
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