Section 18 of HMA : Section 18: Punishment For Contravention Of Certain Other Conditions For A Hindu Marriage

Explanation using Example

Imagine a man, Raj, who is already married to Sunita. Despite this, he decides to marry Priya without obtaining a divorce from Sunita first. This action violates clause (iii) of Section 5 of The Hindu Marriage Act, which states that at the time of marriage, neither party should have a living spouse. Raj's second marriage to Priya is therefore illegal.

Under Section 18 of The Hindu Marriage Act, Raj can be punished for this contravention with rigorous imprisonment that may last up to two years, or he could be fined up to one lakh rupees, or both. This section of the law is applied to prevent and penalize bigamy among Hindus.