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2010 Supreme(UK) 20

2010 (1) UAD 695
SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
Hon’ble Mr. Justice Aftab Alam and Hon’ble Dr. Justice B.S. Chauhan
SLP (Civil) No. 2954 of 2010
MANISH GOEL – Petitioner
Versus
ROHINI GOEL – Respondent
Decided on : 05.02.2010

For the Petitioner:Mr. Pradeep Kr. Arya, Mr. Dushyant Swaroop, Mr. Sanjay Kumar Visen, Advocates

Headnote:(A) Constitution of India, 1950, Arts. 136, 142 — Nature and scope of Powers of Supreme Court — U/Art. 136 a plenary jurisdiction exercisable on assuming appellate, jurisdiction has been conferred by the Constitution in the Apex Court with implicit trust and faith and extra ordinary care and caution has to be observed while exercising this jurisdiction — There is no vested right of a party to approach this Court for the exercise of such a vast discretion — However, such a course can be resorted to when this court feels that it is so warranted to eradicate injustice — Such a jurisdiction is the object of keeping such a wide power with this Court has been to see that injustice is not perpetuated or perpetrated by decisions of courts below — More so, there should be a question of law of general public importance or a decision which shocks the conscience of the court — Are some of the prime requisites for grant of special leave — Power u/Art. 136, to be exercised taking into consideration the well established principles which govern the exercise of overriding constitutional power — Referred judgments AIR 1991 SC 2176, AIR 2004 SC 2351 (2009) 10 SCC 223, (1995) 2 SCC 728 relied. (Paras 4, 5)

       (B) Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, Sec. 13-B(2), Constitution of India, 1950, Art. 142 — Divorce petition — Mutual consent — Petition to waive the statutory period of 6 months in filing second petition u/s 13-B(2) of Act, 1955 — Rejected — Grounds that such a waiver was permissible only under the directions of Supreme Court — Grounds for exercising power under Art. 142 — Enumerated — Referred judgments relied. (Paras 6 to 8, 10 to 18)

       ¼v½ Hkkjrh; lafo/kku] 1950] vuqPNsn 136] 142 ds vUrxZr mPpre U;k;ky; dh 'kfDr;ksa dh izdfr vkSj foLrkj & vuqPNsn 136 ds vUrxZr vihysV dk;Z{ks= iz;qDr djrs le; lEiw.kZ dk;Z{ks= dk vf/kdkj mPpre U;k;ky; dks lafo/kku }kjk blfy, iznRr dj fn;k tkrk gS fd og bl {ks=kf/kdkj dk iz;ksx djrs le; lEiw.kZ U;kl vkSj fo'okl vkSj vlk/kkj.k ns[kHkky vkSj lko/kkuh dk iz;ksx dj lds & bl o`gr dk;Z{ks= dks iz;ksx esa ykus gsrq fdlh Hkh i{kdkj dks fufgr vf/kdkj izkIr ugha gS fd og bl U;k;ky; esa igq¡p lds & bl ij Hkh bl izfd;k dks ml n'kk esa viuk;k tk ldrk gS tc mPpre U;k;ky; ;g eglwl djs fd vU;k; dks jksdus ds fy, ;g vR;Ur visf{kr gS & ,slk dk;Z{ks= bl U;k;ky; }kjk brus foLr`r vf/kdkj dks èkkj.k djus ds fy, gS fd vU;k; dk cksyckyk u gks vkSj og 'kkLor u cu lds vFkok voj U;k;ky; ds fu.kZ;ksa dk nq#i;ksx u gks & blls Hkh vf/kd tulk/kkj.k ds egRo dk dkuwuh iz'u gS vFkok ,slk fu.kZ; tks U;k;ky; dh vkRek dks gh fgyk ns & fo'ks"k vuqefr ;kfpdk dh Lohdfr ds fy, dqN egRoiw.kZ rRo vko';d gSa & vuqPNsn 136 ds vUrxZr vf/kdkj {ks= dk mi;ksx dqN Bksl fl)kUrksa dks /;ku esa j[kdj fd;k tkrk gS tks fd Hkkjrh; lafo/kku ds vUrxZr iznRr vf/kdkjksa dks Hkh fu;af=r djrk gS & m)`r fu.kZ; AIR 1991 SC 2176, AIR 2004 SC 2351, (2009) 10 SCC 223, (1995) 2 SCC 728 ij vk/kkfjrA ¼izLrj 4] 5½

       +¼c½ fgUnq fookg vf/kfu;e 1955] /kkjk 13B ¼2½ o Hkkjrh; lafo/kku 1950] vuqPNsn 142 ds rgr fookg foPNsnu ;kfpdk nk;j dh xbZ tks fd vkilh lgefr ij vk/kkfjr Fkh & oS/kkfud vof/k 6 ekg dks NksM+us ds mn~ns'; ls f}rh; ;kfpdk /kkjk 13B¼2½ vf/kfu;e 1955 nk;j dh xbZ tks vLohdkj gks xbZ ftl dk vk/kkj ;g Fkk fd ;g NwV dsoy mPpre U;k;ky; ds funsZ'k ds rgr gh fey ldrh Fkh & vuqPNsn 142 ds vUrxZr vf/kdkj iz;qDr djus okLrs xzkmUM fxukbZ xbZ & m)`r fu.kZ; ij vkèkkfjrA ¼izLrj 6 ls 8] 10 ls 18½

JUDGMENT

Dr. B.S. Chauhan, J. — This case reveals a very sorry state of affairs that the parties, merely being highly qualified, have claimed even to be higher and above the law, and have a vested right to use, misuse and abuse the process of the Court. Petitioner, the husband, possesses the qualifications of CA, CS and ICWA, while the proforma respondent-wife is a Doctor (M.D., Radio-Diagnosis) by profession. The parties got married on 23rd July, 2008 in Delhi. Their marriage ran into rough weather and relations between them became strained immediately after the marriage and they are living separately since 24.10.2008. Petitioner-husband filed a Matrimonial Case under Section 12 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 (hereinafter called as “the Act”) for annulment of marriage before a competent Court at Gurgaon. The respondent-wife, Smt. Rohini Goel filed a petition under Section 12 r/w Section 23 of the Domestic Violence Act, 2005 before the competent Court at Delhi. An FIR was also lodged by her against petitioner-husband and his family members under Sections 498-A, 406 and 34 of Indian Penal Code, 1860 at PS Janakpuri, New Delhi.

2. It is stated at the Bar that by persuasion of the family members and friends, the parties entered into a compromise and prepared a Memorandum of Understanding dated 13.11.2009 in the proceedings pending before the Mediation Centre, Delhi by which they agreed on terms and conditions incorporated therein, to settle all their disputes and also for dissolution of their marriage. The parties filed an application under Section 13-B(1) of the Act before the Family Court, i.e. ADJ-04 (West) Delhi seeking divorce by mutual consent. The said HMA No. 456 of 2009 came before the Court and it recorded the statement of parties on 16.11.2009. The parties moved another HMA No. 457 of 2009 to waive the statutory period of six months in filing the second petition. However, the Court rejected the said application vide order dated 1.12.2009 observing that the Court was not competent to waive the required statutory period of six months under the Act and such a waiver was permissible only under the directions of this Court as held by this Court in Anil Kumar Jain v. Maya Jain (2009) 10 SCC 415. Hence, this petition.

3. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that there is no prohibition in law in entertaining the petition under Article 136 of the Constitution against the order of the Family Court and in such an eventuality, there was no occasion for the petitioner to approach the High Court as the relief sought herein cannot be granted by any court other than this Court. Thus, the petitioner has a right to approach this Court against the order of the Family Court and the petitioner cannot be non-suited on this ground alone.

4. Article 136 of the Constitution enables this Court, in its discretion to grant special leave to appeal from any judgment, decree, determination, sentence or order in any cause or matter passed or made by any court or tribunal in the territory of India.

Undoubtedly, under Article 136 in the widest possible terms, a plenary jurisdiction exercisable on assuming appellate, jurisdiction has been conferred upon this Court. However, it is an extra-ordinary jurisdiction vested by the Constitution in the Court with implicit trust and faith and thus, extra ordinary care and caution has to be observed while exercising this jurisdiction. There is no vested right of a party to approach this Court for the exercise of such a vast discretion however, such a course can be resorted to when this court feels that it is so warranted to eradicate injustice. Such a jurisdiction is to be exercised by the consideration of justice and call of duty. The power has to be exercised with great care and due consideration but while exercising the power, the order should be passed taking into consideration all binding precedents otherwise such an order would create problems in the future. The object of keeping such a wide powe



























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