Amanpreet Kaur v. Gurdeep Singh

-1IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH TA-113-2021 (O&M) Date of decision: 12.09.2022 Amanpreet Kaur ....Petitioner Vs.

Gurdeep Singh ....Respondent CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ARVIND SINGH SANGWAN

Present:

Mr. H.S. Bedi, Advocate for the petitioner.

None for the respondent.

******* ARVIND SINGH SANGWAN, J. (Oral) Prayer in this petition is for transfer of the petition filed by the respondent-husband under Section 9 of the Hindu Marriage Act, pending before the Family Court, Jalandhar to the competent Court of jurisdiction at Dasuya, District Hoshiarpur.

While issuing notice of motion, following order was passed by this Court on 09.02.2021: - "Marriage of the applicant was solemnized with respondentGurdeep Singh on 31.01.2016 at Maini Road, Tanda, Tehsil Dasuya, District Hoshiarpur. Out of this wedlock, one child was born. At present, applicant is staying at her parental house

-2along with four year old child. She is seeking that petition under Section 9 of the Hindu Marriage Act, filed by respondent-husband at Jalandhar be transferred to the Family Court at Dasuya, District Hoshiarpur. Petitions under Section 12 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (Annexure P-1) and under Section 125 Cr.P.C., filed by the applicant, are pending at Dasuya.

Learned counsel for the applicant states that it will be difficult for the applicant to travel from Dasuya to Jalandhar along with the minor child. However, she can visit at Hoshiarpur for mediation in order to secure the future of minor child.

Notice of motion for 10.05.2021.

Direction is given to the District and Sessions Judge, Hoshiarpur to assist the applicant and respondent for mediation at Hoshiarpur. Report with regard to the mediation be sent to this Court before the next date of hearing. In the meantime, proceedings in the petition under Section 9 of the Hindu Marriage Act (Annexure P-3) at Jalandhar shall remain stayed."

Learned counsel has relied upon the judgments Sumita Singh Vs. Kumar Sanjay, 2002 SC 396 and Rajani Kishor Pardeshi Vs. Kishor Babulal Pardeshi, 2005(12) SCC 237, wherein the Hon'ble Supreme Court

-3observed that while deciding the transfer application, the Courts are required to give more weightage and consideration to the convenience of the female litigants and transfer of legal proceedings from one Court to another should ordinarily be allowed, taking into consideration their convenience and the Courts should desist from putting female litigants under undue hardships."

Learned counsel has further relied upon N.C.V. Aishwarya Vs. A.S. Saravana Karthik Sha, 2022 Live Law (SC) 627, wherein the Hon'ble Supreme Court held as under: - "The cardinal principle for exercise of power under Section 24 of the Code of Civil Procedure is that the ends of justice should demand the transfer of the suit, appeal or other proceeding. In matrimonial matters, wherever Courts are called upon to consider the plea of transfer, the Courts have to take into consideration the economic soundness of both the parties, the social strata of the spouses and their behavioural pattern, their standard of life prior to the marriage and subsequent thereto and the circumstances of both the parties in eking out their livelihood and under whose protective umbrella they are seeking their sustenance to life. Given the prevailing socioeconomic paradigm in the Indian society, generally, it is the wife's convenience which must be looked at while considering transfer.

Further, when two or more proceedings are pending in different Courts between the same parties which raise common question of fact and law, and when the decisions in the cases are interdependent, it is desirable that they should be tried

-4together by the same Judge so as to avoid multiplicity in trial of the same issues and conflict of decisions." As per office report, the respondent is residing abroad. Since vide order dated 09.02.2021, proceedings before the Family Court, Jalandhar were stayed, it is a deemed notice to the respondent. It is well settled that while considering the transfer of a matrimonial dispute/case at the instance of the wife, the Court is to consider family condition of the wife, custody of the minor child, economic condition of the wife, her physical health and earning capacity of the husband and most important, convenience of the wife i.e. she cannot travel alone without assistance of a male member of her family, connectivity of the place to and fro from her place of residence as well as bearing of the litigation charges and travelling expenses.

After hearing the counsel for the petitioner, considering the fact that the petitioner-wife will have to bear the litigation expenses and transportation expenses and in view of the judgments in Sumita Singh's case (supra), Rajani Kishor Pardeshi's case (supra) and N.C.V. Aishwarya's case (supra) passed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court, this Court deem it appropriate to allow the present petition, subject to the following conditions:-

1. The petition filed under Section 9 of the Hindu Marriage Act, pending before the Family Court, Jalandhar will be transferred to the competent Court of jurisdiction at Dasuya, District Hoshiarpur.

-52. The District Judge, Hoshiarpur will assign the said petition to the competent Court of jurisdiction at Dasuya.

3. The Family Court, Jalandhar is directed to transfer all the record pertaining to the aforesaid case to District Judge, Hoshiarpur.

4. The parties are directed to appear before the Family Court, Dasuya, District Hoshiarpur within a period of 01 month from today.

5. The Family Court, Dasuya, District Hoshiarpur will make all the endeavour to refer the case before the Mediation and Conciliation Centre for exploring the possibility of amicable settlement between the parties.

6. The Court concerned, where the litigations between the parties are pending, will accommodate them with one date in one calender month.

Present petition is disposed of accordingly.

[ ARVIND SINGH SANGWAN ] JUDGE 12.09.2022 vishnu Whether speaking/reasoned :

Yes/No Whether reportable:

Yes/No