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The legal concept of cruelty which is not defined by statute is generally
described as conduct of such character as to have caused danger to life, limb or
health (bodily and mental) or to give rise to reasonable apprehension of such
danger. The general rule in all question of cruelty is that the whole matrimonial
relations must be considered, that rule is of a special value when the cruelty consists
not of violent act but of injurious reproaches, complains accusations or taunts. It
may be mental such as indifference and frigidity towards wife, denial of a company to
her, hatred and abhorrence for wife or physical, like acts of violence and abstinence
from sexual intercourse without reasonable cause. It must be proved that one
partner in the marriage however mindless of the consequences has behaved in a
way which the other spouse could not in the circumstances be called upon to
endure, and that misconduct has caused injury to health or a reasonable
apprehension of such injury. There are two sides to be considered in case of cruelty.
From the appellant's side, ought this appellant to be called on to endure the
conduct? From the respondent's side, was this conduct excusable? The court has
then to decide whether the sum total of the reprehensible conduct was cruel. That
depends on whether the cumulative conduct was sufficiently serious to say that from
a reasonable person's point of view after a consideration of any excuse which the
respondent might have in the circumstances, the conduct is such that the petitioner
ought not be called upon to endure.