Is the six-month waiting period compulsory in a mutual consent divorce?

No, not always. In Amardeep Singh v. Harveen Kaur (2017), the Supreme Court held that the six-month period under Section 13B(2) of the Hindu Marriage Act is directory, not mandatory.

The Family Court may waive it where the parties have been separated for a long time, all issues such as alimony and custody have been settled, efforts at mediation have failed, and waiting would only prolong the parties' difficulty. An application for waiver is usually made after the first motion.