Sapna Rani vs Pankaj Singla

The Supreme Court held that under Section 13-B of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, a mutual consent divorce decree can be granted even if one party does not appear at the second motion stage, provided both parties express their consent in court. The Court set aside the lower court's dismissal of the divorce petition, confirming that the wife's waiver of permanent alimony further supported the granting of the decree. Consequently, the appeal was allowed, and a mutual consent divorce decree was granted.