Which of the following is a ground for declaration of nullity of marriage?

• A. Bigamy
• B. Lack of consent due to misrepresentation
• C. Separation for five years
• D. Adultery

Answer: (A)

Grounds for declaration of nullity focus on marriages that are void from the start because something essential was missing or prohibited at the time of contracting. Bigamy fits this, since if one spouse already has a living spouse, the second marriage is void ab initio. The law treats the later marriage as never having validity, so a court can declare the marriage null.

Lack of consent due to misrepresentation can affect validity in some systems, but it more often leads to a voidable marriage rather than a void one. Separation for five years is a ground for divorce, not nullity, because the marriage remains legally in existence. Adultery is also a fault leading to divorce in many systems, not a ground that makes the marriage void from the outset.

So bigamy is the correct ground for declaring a marriage null.