Which of the following theories is the outcome of a fundamental shift in the policy discernible from…

The breakdown theory grew out of the shift in divorce policy towards the view that divorce law is not meant to punish a guilty spouse but to end a marriage that has broken down beyond repair while protecting the innocent spouse; hence "Breakdown theory". The fault theory treats divorce as a remedy against a guilty party, and the consent theory rests on the agreement of both spouses, which is a different basis.

Current law: In Shilpa Sailesh v Varun Sreenivasan (2023) the Supreme Court confirmed its discretionary power under Article 142 to dissolve a marriage for irretrievable breakdown in appropriate cases. This does not make breakdown an ordinary standalone statutory divorce ground available to every matrimonial court under the Hindu Marriage Act.