The central legal point established in the judgment is the importance of considering the convenience of female litigants in transfer applications, especially in matrimonial disputes, and the economic soundness of both parties.

JUDGMENT

Arvind Singh Sangwan, J. (Oral) - Prayer in this petition is for transfer of the petition filed under Section 13 of the Hindu Marriage Act, pending in the Family Court, Camp Court Samana, District Patiala to the competent Court of jurisdiction at Camp Court Ellenabad, District Sirsa. Vide order dated 02.12.2021, the following order was passed:-

'Learned counsel for the petitioner would contend that the petitioner would have to travel a distance of about 210 kilometres (one way) in order to defend the proceedings initiated by the husband under Section 13 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 at Family Court, Patiala (Camp Court at Samana) from her place of residence in District Sirsa and, hence, she would not be able to properly defend her case. It is further contended that the complaint filed by the petitioner under Section 12 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 is already pending before the JMIC, Ellenabad besides an FIR registered on 07.10.2021 under Sections 323, 406, 498A, 506, 34 IPC at Police Station Rania is also pending. Notice of motion returnable 03.02.2022.'

2. Counsel for the petitioner has argued that on account of a matrimonial discord, the petitioner has filed a petition/complaint under the Domestic Violence Act and also got registered an FIR under Sections 323, 406, 498-A, 506, 34 IPC at Police Station Rania. Counsel for the petitioner has further submitted that the respondent/husband has filed the petition under Section 13 of the Hindu Marriage Act, as a counter-blast, before the Principal Judge, Family Court, Camp Court Samana, District Patiala.

3. Counsel for the petitioner has also argued that on account of a petition filed by the respondent/husband, the petitioner is facing great difficulty in prosecuting the said case as there is a distance of about 210 Kms from Camp Court Ellenabad, District Sirsa to Camp Court Samana, District Patiala.

4. Counsel for the petitioner 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 has 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.'

5. Counsel for the petitioner has also relied upon the judgment 'N.C.V. Aishwarya vs A.S. Saravana Karthik Sha,' 2022 Live Law (SC) 627, wherein the Hon'ble Supreme Court has observed as under:-

9. 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.

10. 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.'

6. It is well settled that while considering the transfer of a matrimonial dispute/case at the instance of the wife, the Court is to c