Section 13 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955

Section 13 deals with the grounds for divorce under Hindu law.

It specifies the conditions under which a Hindu marriage can be dissolved by a court.

A spouse may file for divorce if the other spouse:

Adultery: Has voluntary sexual intercourse with someone else.

Cruelty: Has treated the spouse with physical or mental cruelty.

Desertion: Has deserted the spouse for a continuous period of not less than two years.

Conversion: Has ceased to be a Hindu by converting to another religion.

Mental Disorder: Has been incurably mentally ill or suffered from mental disorder making cohabitation impossible.

Leprosy: Has been suffering from a virulent and incurable form of leprosy.

Venereal Disease: Has been suffering from a communicable venereal disease.

Renunciation: Has renounced the world by entering a religious order.

Not Heard for 7 Years: The spouse has not been heard of as being alive for seven years or more.

Ground	Explanation	Required Condition/Period
Adultery	Voluntary sexual intercourse with another	Must be proved
Cruelty	Physical/mental harm causing danger or fear	Includes mental cruelty
Desertion	Abandoning spouse without consent or reasonable cause	Continuous for 2+ years
Conversion	Changing religion and ceasing to be Hindu	Conversion to another religion
Mental Disorder	Incurable mental illness affecting cohabitation	Must be medically established
Leprosy	Suffering from incurable leprosy	Must be proven
Venereal Disease	Suffering from communicable venereal disease	Must be proven
Renunciation	Renouncing worldly life by entering religious order	Must be voluntary and complete
Not Heard of Being Alive	Missing for 7+ years	Proof of absence required