Simranjit Kaur vs Sompal Singh
2023 Latest Caselaw 15135 P&H

Citation : 2023 Latest Caselaw 15135 P&H
Judgement Date : 5 September, 2023

Punjab-Haryana High Court

Simranjit Kaur vs Sompal Singh on 5 September, 2023

                                                    Neutral Citation No:=2023:PHHC:116863




TA-1595-2022                                                                -1-
                                                              2023:PHHC:116863




       IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT
                      CHANDIGARH

                                               TA-1595-2022 (O&M)
                                               Date of decision: 05.09.2023

Simranjit Kaur
                                                                    ....Petitioner



                                         Vs.

Sompal Singh
                                                                  ....Respondent

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ARVIND SINGH SANGWAN

Present:     Mr. Pranav Chamoli, Advocate
             for the petitioner.

             None for the respondent.

                   *******

ARVIND SINGH SANGWAN, J. (Oral)

Prayer in this petition is for transfer of two petitions filed by

the respondent-husband under Section 9 of the Hindu Marriage Act and

under Section 8 of Guardians and Wards Act, pending before the Family

Court, Ludhiana to the competent Court of jurisdiction at Kapurthala.

Learned counsel for the petitioner has argued that on account of

matrimonial discord, the petitioner has filed a petition under Section 125

Cr.P.C. at Kapurthala. It is further submitted that the petitioner is facing

great difficulty in prosecuting the petition filed by the respondent, as there

is a distance of about 100 kms from Kapurthala to Ludhiana.

1 of 4

Neutral Citation No:=2023:PHHC:116863

2023:PHHC:116863

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

observed 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.

2 of 4

Neutral Citation No:=2023:PHHC:116863

2023:PHHC:116863

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 together 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 served, however, there is

no representation on his behalf.

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. Two petitions filed by the respondent-husband under Section 9

3 of 4

Neutral Citation No:=2023:PHHC:116863

2023:PHHC:116863

of the Hindu Marriage Act and under Section 8 of Guardians and Wards Act, pending before the Family Court, Ludhiana will be transferred to the competent Court of jurisdiction at Kapurthala.

2. The District Judge, Kapurthala will assign the said petition to the competent Court of jurisdiction.

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

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

5. The Family Court, Kapurthala 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.