Section 10
. Clause (c) omitted by s. 6 and Schedule, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-10-1978).
10 . Clause (c) omitted by s. 6 and Schedule, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-10-1978).
JURISDICTION AND PROCEDURE
1 [19 . Court to which petition shall be presented . — Every petition under this Act shall be presented to the District Court within the local limits of whose ordinary original civil jurisdiction:—
(i) the marriage was solemnized, or
(ii) the respondent, at the time of the presentation of the petition, resides, or
(iii) the parties to the marriage last resided together, or
2 [(iiia) in case the wife is the petitioner, wher she is residing on the date of presentation of the petition; or]
(iv) the petitioner is residing at the time of the presentation of the petition, in a case where the respondent is at that time, residing outside the territories to which this Act extends, or has not been heard of as being alive for a period of seven years or more by those persons who would naturally have heard of him if he were alive.]
20 . Contents and verification of petitions . — (1) Every petition presented under this Act shall state as distinctly as the nature of the case permits the facts on which the claim to relief is founded 3 [and, except in a petition under section 11, shall also state] that there is no collusion between the petitioner and the other party to the marriage.
(2) The statements contained in every petition under this Act shall be verified by the petitioner or some other competent person in the manner required by law for the verification of plaints, and may, at the hearing, be referred to as evidence.
21 . Application of Act 5 of 1908 . — Subject to the other provisions contained in this Act and to such rules as the High Court may make in this behalf, all proceedings under this Act shall be regulated, as far as may be, by the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.
4 [21A . Power to transfer petitions in certain cases . — (1) Where—
(a) a petition under this Act has been presented to a district court having jurisdiction by a party to a marriage praying for a decree for judicial separation under section 10 or for a decree of divorce under section 13, and
(b) another petition under this Act has been presented thereafter by the other party to the marriage praying for a decree for judicial separation under section 10 or for a decree of divorce under section 13 on any ground, whether in the same district court or in a different district court, in the same State or in a different State, the petitions shall be dealt with as specified in sub-section (2).
(2) In a case where sub-section (1) applies,—
(a) if the petitions are presented to the same district court, both the petitions shall be tried and heard together by that district court;
(b) if the petitions are presented to different district courts, the petition presented later shall be transferred to the district court in which the earlier petition was presented and both the petitions shall be heard and disposed of together by the district court in which the earlier petition was presented.
(3) In a case where clause (b) of sub-section (2) applies, the court or the Government, as the case may be, competent under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), to transfer any suit or proceeding from the district court in which the later petition has been presented to the district court in which the earlier petition is pending, shall exercise its powers to transfer such later petition as if it had been empowered so to do under the said Code.
1 . Subs. by Act 68 of 1976, s. 12, for s. 19 (w.e.f. 27-5-1976).
2. Ins. by Act 50 of 2003, s. 4 (w.e.f. 23-12-2003).
3 . Subs. by Act 68 of 1976, s. 13, for "and shall also State" (w.e.f. 27-5-1976).
4 . Ins. by s. 14, ibid. (w.e.f. 27-5-1976).
Roop's Law Assist