The excluded ground under Section 27A of the Special Marriage Act, 1954 relates to:

Section 27A applies "except in so far as the petition is founded on the ground mentioned in clause (h) of sub-section (1) of section 27", that the respondent has not been heard of as being alive for seven years or more. On every other divorce ground, including cruelty, desertion and venereal disease, the court may grant judicial separation instead.