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Alex (Business)     28 February 2009

How is non-consumation of marriage proved

Hi lawyers,

First of all I would like to mention that I do not intend to offend/hurt-sentiments of any person either male or female with my question below, and I am asking this question purely for informational purposes that is related to a court case that is pending against me and I need this information to fight a false case filed against me by my wife.

Now to the question: I would like to know how the law in our country takes the cognizance of an allegation of non-consummation of marriage, one way I know is by the way of proving impotency of either partner within the marriage, but in cases where both the partners are mentally and physically fit for consummating the marriage and one of the partner is alleging the other partner of abstinence from s*x then how is this ground proven in the court.

Can it be legally accepted by way of virginity tests performed on a female in marriage as proof for non-consummation of marriage.

I have read in many places on internet that a women can not be a virgin and still have her virginity -- by way of the popular method of proving virginity -- intact. and that there are no fool proof ways to ascertain a female's virginity. so how does the law of our country take cognizance of facts like these

Also is there any reasonable period of time that a marriage must have lasted before one of the partner in marriage can claim non-consummation of marriage -- which is allegedly not owing to physical impotence of other partner -- as a valid ground for annulment of marriage

I once again re-affirm and request all people reading this to understand that I am asking the above question only due to the kind of situations I am facing in my case and I do not intend to hurt any persons sentiments by asking above question.

Thanks



Learning

 7 Replies

N.K.Assumi (Advocate)     28 February 2009

Dear Alex,


                                 Consumation mean VERA COPULA or Conjunction of bodies. A true conjunction is achieved as soon as full entry and penetration has been achieved and what follows goes merely to the likelihood or otherwise of conception. Discharge of semen has got nothing to do with the questions of impotence. Consumation involves complete penetration, but not necessarily ejaculation; if the penetration can be sustained only for a short time and there is no emmission it can not properly be described as the " ordinary and complete" intercourse which is required for consumation.


                          The term consumation in common parlance means an act by which parties perfected their marriage and had s*x relation. In legal parlance consumation means full and complete penetration; a partial penetration or aborative attempt at intercourse ( an incomplete act of coitus) would not constitute consumation. 

N.K.Assumi (Advocate)     01 March 2009

Dear Alex,


                      In a very interesting English case on virginity, the parties did not dispute their basic s*x, the woman had a defective genital formation namely v**ginal atresia. She had no uterus,nor she evr mensturated. The wife agreed to an artificial v**gina being created upon her by plastic surgery. The court of appeal held that such a wife would not be incapable of consummating the marriage. S.Y. vs S.Y (1963) P 37 (CA).


                     The issue is what do you want? Divorce on the ground of false virginity? or Divorce on the ground of non-consumation of marriage? Lastly there is nothing to be embrassed to pose such family quiestion as even the School kids are taught on Sex education.


                        In a delhi case the woman when she was only 15/16 years old, plastic surgery was performed upon her by which an artificial v**gina was constructed by skin grafting. The artificial v**gina was only three inches in depth and after marriage full penetration was not possible. The wife was held impotent and the marriage was annuled. Sushila Vs Vijay Kumar (1982) 1 DMC 119.      

Alex (Business)     01 March 2009

Can it be legally accepted by way of virginity tests performed on a female in marriage as proof for non-consummation of marriage.



 

N.K.Assumi (Advocate)     01 March 2009

As per Modi on Medical Jurisprudence and Toxicology, normally the hymen is ruptured by the first act of coitus, though it may persists even after several act of s*xula intercourse if it happens to be loose,folded and elastic or thick, tough and fleshy. It further says that if in a woman with an intact hymen, the edge of the membrane are distinct and regular, with an orifice of small dimension, which allows the terminal phalanx of a finger to penetrate and the hymen is well stretched, all the persumption are in favour of true virginity or in other words, all the persumption are in favour of non penetration of the penis into the v**gina. See at page 355-356.


                              

RAKHI BUDHIRAJA ADVOCATE (LAWYER AT BUDHIRAJA & ASSOCIATES SUPREME COURT OF INDIA)     09 March 2009

I endorse the views of mr. N.K.Assumi.He is absolutely right.

PALNITKAR V.V. (Lawyer)     12 March 2009

Mr. Assumi has given a very descriptive reply.

RAKHI BUDHIRAJA ADVOCATE (LAWYER AT BUDHIRAJA & ASSOCIATES SUPREME COURT OF INDIA)     20 March 2009

I endorse the views of Mr. Assumi & Mr. Palnitkar


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