Legally, in many jurisdictions, a man can only be married to one person at a time. The possibility of marrying multiple times depends on whether prior marriages have been legally terminated through death, divorce, or annulment.
Here's a breakdown:
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Monogamy: Most countries, including the United States, Canada, and those in Europe, adhere to monogamy. This means having only one legal spouse at any given time.
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Legal Termination of Marriage: A man can remarry if his previous marriage has been legally dissolved through:
- Divorce: A court order that legally ends the marriage.
- Death of a Spouse: If the man's spouse dies, he is free to remarry.
- Annulment: A legal declaration that the marriage was never valid from the beginning (e.g., due to fraud, lack of consent).
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Bigamy: Marrying someone while still legally married to another person is called bigamy. Bigamy is illegal in most countries and often carries significant legal penalties, including fines and imprisonment. In India, as referenced, a second marriage during the lifetime of a spouse without divorce is void under Section 494 of the Indian Penal Code.
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Polygamy: While illegal in many Western countries, polygamy (having multiple spouses at the same time) is legal in some parts of the world, typically within specific religious or cultural contexts. Even in these areas, there are often strict regulations.
Therefore, while a man can marry multiple times throughout his life sequentially (one after the other), the number of times depends on his personal circumstances, the laws of the jurisdiction where he resides, and whether his previous marriages have been legally terminated. Marrying multiple people at the same time (bigamy or polygamy) is illegal in many countries.
