Marrying again during lifetime of husband or wife
Full Text
82. (1) Whoever, having a husband or wife living, marries in any case in which such marriage is void by reason of its taking place during the life of such husband or wife, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Exception.—This sub-section does not extend to any person whose marriage with such husband or wife has been declared void by a Court of competent jurisdiction, nor to any person who contracts a marriage during the life of a former husband or wife, if such husband or wife, at the time of the subsequent marriage, shall have been continually absent from such person for the space of seven years, and shall not have been heard of by such person as being alive within that time provided the person contracting such subsequent marriage shall, before such marriage takes place, inform the person with whom such marriage is contracted of the real state of facts so far as the same are within his or her knowledge.
(2) Whoever commits the offence under sub-section (1) having concealed from the person with whom the subsequent marriage is contracted, the fact of the former marriage, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Plain English Summary
Penalizes bigamy, which is marrying again while having a living spouse when such marriage is void. It prescribes up to 7 years imprisonment or up to 10 years if the former marriage is concealed.
Key Legal Elements
- Having a living husband or wife.
- Marrying another person during the lifetime of such spouse.
- The subsequent marriage is void because it occurred during the lifetime of the spouse.
- Concealment of the former marriage from the new spouse leads to enhanced punishment under sub-section (2).
Punishment
Imprisonment of up to 7 years and fine (sub-section 1); imprisonment of up to 10 years and fine (sub-section 2).
Practical Note
Section 82 BNS replaces Sections 494 and 495 of the IPC. It applies when the subsequent marriage is void by reason of the spouse being alive. Exceptions apply if the first marriage was declared void by a competent court, or if the spouse has been absent and unheard of for seven years, provided the new partner is informed of the facts.
हिंदी पाठ
82. (1) जो कोई भी, पति या पत्नी के जीवित रहते हुए, किसी ऐसे मामले में विवाह करेगा जिसमें ऐसा विवाह पति या पत्नी के जीवनकाल में होने के कारण शून्य है, उसे किसी एक अवधि के कारावास से, जो सात वर्ष तक का हो सकता है, दंडित किया जाएगा और वह जुर्माने के लिए भी उत्तरदायी होगा।
अपवाद—यह उपधारा किसी ऐसे व्यक्ति पर लागू नहीं होती जिसका ऐसे पति या पत्नी के साथ विवाह सक्षम अधिकारिता वाले न्यायालय द्वारा शून्य घोषित कर दिया गया हो, और न ही किसी ऐसे व्यक्ति पर लागू होती है जो पूर्व पति या पत्नी के जीवनकाल के दौरान विवाह करता है, यदि ऐसा पति या पत्नी, बाद के विवाह के समय, ऐसे व्यक्ति से लगातार सात वर्ष की अवधि तक अनुपस्थित रहा हो, और ऐसे व्यक्ति द्वारा उस समय के भीतर जीवित रहने के रूप में नहीं सुना गया हो, बशर्ते कि बाद के विवाह करने वाला व्यक्ति, ऐसे विवाह के होने से पहले, उस व्यक्ति को जिससे ऐसा विवाह किया जा रहा है, तथ्यों की वास्तविक स्थिति से अवगत करा दे, जहां तक कि वे उसके ज्ञान में हों।
(2) जो कोई भी उपधारा (1) के अधीन अपराध करेगा, और जिससे बाद का विवाह किया जा रहा है उस व्यक्ति से पूर्व विवाह के तथ्य को छिपाकर रखेगा, उसे किसी एक अवधि के कारावास से, जो दस वर्ष तक का हो सकता है, दंडित किया जाएगा और वह जुर्माने के लिए भी उत्तरदायी होगा।