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1994 Supreme(Ker) 57

Judges : MANOHARAN
Marya Teresa Martin - Appellant
Versus
Martin - Respondent
Case No : C.R.P.No. 778 of 1993
Decided On : 02/09/1994
Advocates Appeared :
Elizabeth Mathai Idiculla For Petitioner B. Suresh Kumar For Respondent

After the establishment of the Family Court, only the Family Court will have jurisdiction over matters enumerated in the Explanation to S.7 of the Act, and the District Court does not have jurisdiction to execute the order of the Family Court.

Headnote:

Judgment debtor - Family Court Jurisdiction - Family Courts Act, 1984 - S.7, S.8, S.18 - The court discussed the jurisdiction of the Family Court and the District Court in executing a decree, and concluded that after the establishment of the Family Court, only the Family Court will have jurisdiction over matters enumerated in the Explanation to S.7 of the Act. The District Court does not have jurisdiction to execute the order of the Family Court.

Fact of the Case:

The revision petitioner, a judgment debtor, contested the execution of a decree from the Madras Court by the District Court, Kollam, claiming lack of jurisdiction. The respondent, the decree holder and husband of the revision petitioner, sought guardianship and custody of their minor daughter.

Finding of the Court:

The court found that the District Court, Kollam, lacked jurisdiction to execute the order of the Family Court, as after the establishment of the Family Court, only the Family Court will have jurisdiction over matters enumerated in the Explanation to S.7 of the Act.

Issues: The issues involved the jurisdiction of the District Court in executing a decree from the Family Court and the interpretation of the Family Courts Act, 1984.

Ratio Decidendi: The court held that after the establishment of the Family Court, only the Family Court will have jurisdiction over matters enumerated in the Explanation to S.7 of the Act, and the District Court does not have jurisdiction to execute the order of the Family Court.

Final Decision: The court set aside the order under attack and allowed the revision petitioner's plea, concluding that the District Court, Kollam, has no jurisdiction to execute the order of the Family Court.

Judgment :-

Judgment debtor in E.P. 6 of 1992 in S.F.C.O.P. 283 of 1992 pending in the District Court, Kollam is the revision petitioner. Respondent is the decree holder and husband of the revision petitioner. They have only one issue, a daughter aged 5 years. Respondent is residing at Madras. According to the revision petitioner she left him along with her child in May 1989 and started living at Kollam on account of the cruelly of the respondent who according to her is living with a concubine. Revision petitioner filed M.C. 26 of 1991 before the Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court, Kollam claiming maintenance for herself and the child. According to the revision petitioner, as a counter blast to the said proceeding, the respondent filed S.F.C.O.P. 283 of 1992 in the Family Court at Madras for appointing him as guardian of his minor daughter and also for the custody of the child. It is alleged by the revision petitioner that the respondent has also filed an O.P. for restitution of conjugal rights. In S.F.C.O.P. 283 of 1992 an exparte order was parsed directing the revision petitioner to give custody of the child to the respondent. She said order was sent for execution to the District Court, Kollam within whose jurisdiction the petitioner is living along with the child.

2. Revision petitioner filed objection to the execution petition contending that the decree is not executable as the same was rendered by a court which has no jurisdiction to entertain the petition. It was also contended by the revision petitioner that even if the decree is executable, the same could be executed only by the Family Court at Thiruvananthapuram. Both the objections were overruled by the lower court as per the impugned order.

3. Learned counsel for the revision petitioner maintained that the very approach of the Execution Court that the Madras Court was lacking only territorial jurisdiction and since the judgment debtor did not object to the jurisdiction, the same cannot affect the excitability of the decree is wrong in law as according to the learned counsel, a District Judge when exercises jurisdiction under S.7 of the Family Courts Act, 1984 (for short 'the act) does not function as a court in relation to matters falling under the Guardians & Wards Act, 1890; there is inherent lack of jurisdiction for the District Judge to deal with a child who is not a resident within his jurisdiction. Therefore the revision petitioner is entitled to question the executability of the decree. It is maintained by the learned counsel that the decree therefore should be treated only as a nullity. But in the circumstance, the more important question to be considered is whether the District Court, Kollam has got jurisdiction to execute the decree. If it is found that the District Court, Kollam has no jurisdiction to execute the decree, on that ground itself the order under attack has to be vacated as one rendered without jurisdiction. In that even!, ii will not be necessary to go into the question as to whether the decree itself is a nullity; the occasion for considering the said question can arise only when the order is sought to be executed by the Family Court at Thiruvananthapuram.

4. Therefore, I may first advert to the question as to whether the District Court, Kollam has got jurisdiction to execute the order passed by the Madras Court. The Family Court, Thiruvananthapuram was established on 6-6-1992. According to the revision petitioner E.P. 6/1992 was filed on 23-11-1092. The impugned order was rendered on 26-3-1993. That, is after Family Court, Thiruvananthapuram was established which has jurisdiction over Kollam also.

5. The contention of the learned counsel for the revision petitioner is, after the constitution of the Family Court with respect to matters mentioned in Explanation to S.7(1) of the Act, only the Family Court will have jurisdiction and in' such circumstance the District Court, Kollam has no jurisdiction to entertain the execution petition. Consequently


























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