How to File for Restitution of Conjugal Rights: A Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction When a spouse has been abandoned by their partner and wishes to resume marital cohabitation, the restitution of conjugal rights is a legal remedy available to them. There are some provisions in the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, which provide a similar remedy, and similar provisions in other personal laws as well. According to restitution of conjugal rights decrees, the respondent (a spouse who left their matrimonial home) must return as soon as possible to the matrimonial home and live with the petitioner (the spouse who filed the case). As a further option, the court may impose certain conditions, including the payment of maintenance and regular visits to the marital property. In general, restitution of conjugal rights is based upon the concept that marriage is a sacred bond, and the parties to the marriage are entitled to cohabit with each other. Nevertheless, there has been considerable controversy regarding the remedy, as some claim that it violates the right to privacy an...