Hindu Law does not allow a second marriage, while the 1st wife is living with him. It is mandatory that a man divorces his first wife in order to enter a 2nd marriage and consent from the 1st wife is irrelevant. Significantly, even a man marries another woman during the continuation of the 1st marriage, the second marriage will be deemed illegal and the 2nd wife will not get the legal status of that of a wife. The child that will be born out of the second marriage while the 1st wife is still living and is not divorced will be deemed illegitimate.
Unlike Muslim Law, Hindu law do not allow a man to marry second time if his wife is alive. Muslim Law allows a man to marry four times without divorcing any of his previous wives provided he is able to take care of each of them and provide them equal status. However, the 2nd marriage in Hindu law is considered as illegal and void if the person has not divorced his 1st wife.
Since according to Hindus, marriages are made in heaven and are sacred, a Hindu man cannot remarry till his first wife is alive and who is not divorced. It is considered as void and illegal according to the Hindu Law. However, if a Hindu man wants to enter into marriage for the 2nd time, it is possible only if the 1st wife is dead or is divorced without any pressure on the 1st wife.
