Introduction
Family is an important sociological construct that often requires legal protection. Indian law does not have a specific policy that supervises all family formation behaviors, but the government has formulated several regulations that control various aspects of the institution of a family. For instance, family law in India encompasses statutes like the Family Courts Act of 1984 and others that oversee such matters as inheritance, child marriages, adoption, and domestic violence. However, family-related regulations have been impacted by the doctrine of factum valet, which proposes that an act prohibited by rule is valid when it is done. Factum valet in Indian family law has been influential in terms of Hindu marriage, polygyny, and child matrimony.
Hindu Marriage
The principle of factum valet has been utilized to justify many Hindu unions that involve the issue of consent. In India, family law is synonymous with religious rules, and with the majority of the population being Hindu, faith has considerable effects on various aspects of life. Accordingly, since colonial times, Hindu matrimonies suspected of one party not agreeing to the wedlock have relied on factum valet to make the conjugal relations unalterable. Within the court system, counsels have argued that Hindu marriage is not a legal contract but rather an irrevocable religious rite that does not require consent. Subsequently, some courts have held that factum valet can be used for betrothals solemnized without force or fraud. Therefore, the principle of factum valet has been applied in Indian family law concerning Hindu unions.
Child Marriage
The doctrine of factum valet has been employed to excuse child matrimony. India’s Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (2006) invalidates forced conjugal relations and makes underage nuptials voidable. Nonetheless, prior to the Act’s implementation, factum valet was frequently utilized to legitimize marrying minors. For instance, in Smt. Naumi v. Narotam And Anr. (1962), the court held that the marriage was not invalid despite the petitioner being underage. Notably, child marriages have often been found legal if they involve religion, as discussed above. For example, in Madhusudhan Mukherjee v. Jadubchander Bannerjee, the court decided not to invalidate a girl’s marriage even though there was no consent from her father. Accordingly, factum valet has been applied concerning family law to justify child matrimony.
Polygyny
The principle of factum valet has been used in cases of religious polygyny. The Hindu Marriage Act of 1955 prohibits polygynous marriage, where a Hindu man has conjugal relations with more than one woman, yet such unions continue to persist in various forms. Therefore, Indian courts may order the husband to financially support the presumed wife even if the wedlock is legally void. Consequently, factum valet can be considered practical in such situations to demonstrate matrimony and satisfy the wife’s socio-economic needs. Accordingly, factum valet has been utilized to support Hindu women whose spouses practice polygyny.
Conclusion
To summarize, the doctrine of factum valet has impacted Indian family law through cases of Hindu marriage, polygyny, and child matrimony. The principle is closely related to the country’s primary religion and has both negative and positive outcomes. Prior to the enactment of many contemporary acts, factum valet was applied to justify nuptials under suspicion of a lack of consent or those involving minors. However, the doctrine has also been employed to protect the maintenance needs of women who are party to polygyny marriages. Overall, factum valet can be considered a way to bypass certain laws.
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