IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH
AT JABALPUR
BEFORE
HON’BLE SHRI JUSTICE DEEPAK KHOT
ON THE 18th OF FEBRUARY, 2026
MISC. CIVIL CASE No. 478 of 2026
S M S M T E T E K T K T A V A V A I A I S H S H
V e r s u s
D E D E E P E P A K A K K U K U C H C H B A B A N D N D I Y A I Y A
Appearance:
S h r i S a m a r S i n g h R a j p u t – A d v o c a t e f o r t h e a p p l i c a n t .
ORDER
The applicant/wife has filed the present petition under Section 24 of C.P.C. seeking transfer of RCSHM No.123/2025 (Deepak Kuchbandiya vs. Smt. Ekta Vaish), which is pending before the Court of Principal Judge, Family Court Narsinghpur to competent Court at District Harda.
2. The application for transfer of the case has been filed on the ground that applicant’s marriage with the respondent was solemnized on 10.07.2024. Subsequently, matrimonial dispute has arisen between the parties, which has led to filing of an application under Section 9 of the Hindu Marriage Act by the respondent-husband in the Court of Principal Judge, Family Court Narsinghpur which was registered as RCSHM No.123/2025 whereas, the applicant-wife, who is resident of Harda, has also filed an application under Section 125 of Cr.P.C. for grant of maintenance before the Family Court, Harda which is pending adjudication.
3 . Learned counsel for the applicant-wife has further submitted that the applicant, while residing at her matrimonial home, was subjected to cruelty and assault which has led to filing of an FIR on 28.07.2025 at Police Station Kotwali, Narsinghpur which was registered as Crime No.578/2025 and another FIR was lodged on 24.10.2025 which was registered as Crime No.808/2025 at the same Police Station. It is submitted that due to continuous threat and fear, the applicant is facing difficulty to travel to Narsinghpur to attend the proceedings.
5. It is submitted that the applicant is not having any source of income and is dependent on her family members. It is further submitted that the distance between Harda and Narsinghpur is more than 300 Kms and she is required to travel alone. It is further submitted that the applicant being a lady is also entitled to contest her case at a place where the same is convenient to her. Thus, it is submitted that the case filed by the respondent-husband i.e. RCSHM No.123/2025 in the Court of Principal Judge, Family Court Narsinghpur, be transferred to competent Court at District Harda.
6. Heard the counsel for the applicant.
7 7. The Hon’ble Apex Court in the case of Anindita Das vs. Srijit Das (2006) Anindita Das vs. Srijit Das (2006)
9 SCC 197 has held in paragraphs 3 to 7 as under :-
” 3 . E v e n o t h e r w i s e , i t m u s t b e s e e n t h a t a t o n e s t a g e t h i s
C o u r t w a s s h o w i n g l e n i e n c y t o l a d i e s . B u t s i n c e t h e n i t h a s
b e e n f o u n d t h a t a l a r g e n u m b e r o f t r a n s f e r p e t i t i o n s a r e f i l e d
b y w o m e n t a k i n g a d v a n t a g e o f t h e l e n i e n c y s h o w n b y t h i s
C o u r t . O n a n a v e r a g e a t l e a s t 1 0 t o 1 5 t r a n s f e r p e t i t i o n s a r e
o n b o a r d o f e a c h c o u r t o n e a c h a d m i s s i o n d a y . I t i s ,
t h e r e f o r e , c l e a r t h a t l e n i e n c y o f t h i s C o u r t i s b e i n g m i s u s e d
b y t h e w o m e n .
4 . T h i s C o u r t i s n o w r e q u i r e d t o c o n s i d e r e a c h p e t i t i o n o n i t s
m e r i t . I n t h i s c a s e t h e g r o u n d t a k e n b y t h e w i f e i s t h a t s h e
h a s a s m a l l c h i l d a n d t h a t t h e r e i s n o b o d y t o k e e p h e r c h i l d .
T h e c h i l d , i n t h i s c a s e , i s s i x y e a r s o l d a n d t h e r e a r e
g r a n d p a r e n t s a v a i l a b l e t o l o o k a f t e r t h e c h i l d . T h e
r e s p o n d e n t i s w i l l i n g t o p a y a l l e x p e n s e s f o r t r a v e l a n d s t a y
o f t h e p e t i t i o n e r a n d h e r c o m p a n i o n f o r e v e r y v i s i t w h e n t h e
p e t i t i o n e r i s r e q u i r e d t o a t t e n d t h e c o u r t a t D e l h i . T h u s , t h e
g r o u n d t h a t t h e p e t i t i o n e r h a s n o s o u r c e o f i n c o m e i s
a d e q u a t e l y m e t .
5 . E x c e p t f o r s t a t i n g t h a t h e r h e a l t h i s n o t g o o d , n o
p a r t i c u l a r s a r e g i v e n . O n t h e g r o u n d t h a t s h e i s n o t a b l e t o
c o m e t o D e l h i t o a t t e n d t h e c o u r t o n a p a r t i c u l a r d a t e , s h e
c a n a l w a y s a p p l y f o r e x e m p t i o n a n d h e r a p p l i c a t i o n w i l l
u n d o u b t e d l y b e c o n s i d e r e d o n i t s m e r i t . H e n c e , n o g r o u n d
f o r t r a n s f e r h a s b e e n m a d e o u t .
6 . A c c o r d i n g l y , w e d i s m i s s t h e t r a n s f e r p e t i t i o n . W e ,
h o w e v e r , d i r e c t t h a t t h e r e s p o n d e n t s h a l l p a y a l l t r a v e l a n d
s t a y e x p e n s e s o f t h e p e t i t i o n e r a n d h e r c o m p a n i o n f o r e a c h
a n d e v e r y o c c a s i o n w h e n s h e i s r e q u i r e d t o a t t e n d t h e c o u r t
a t D e l h i .
7 . T h e r e s p o n d e n t s h a l l s e n d i n a d v a n c e t o t h e p e t i t i o n e r ,
m o n e y f o r a 2 n d c l a s s A C t r a i n t i c k e t f o r h e r s e l f a n d a
c o m p a n i o n . T h e r e s p o n d e n t s h a l l a l s o p a y s t a y e x p e n s e s o f
t h e p e t i t i o n e r a n d h e r c o m p a n i o n i n a 3 -s t a r h o t e l . T h e t r i a l
c o u r t s h a l l e n s u r e t h a t t h e p e t i t i o n e r h a s b e e n p a i d t h e t r a v e l
e x p e n s e s i n a d v a n c e a n d t h a t t h e h o t e l e x p e n s e s a r e p a i d t o
h e r o n e a c h a n d e v e r y o c c a s i o n w h e n s h e i s r e q u i r e d t o
a t t e n d t h e c o u r t a t D e l h i .
”
8.
8. Further, the Hon’ble Apex Court in the case of Preeti Sharma vs. Manjit
Preeti Sharma vs. Manjit
Sharma (2005) 11 SCC 535 has held in para-2 as under :-
Sharma (2005) 11 SCC 535
” 2 . M e r e l y b e c a u s e t h e p e t i t i o n e r i s a l a d y d o e s n o t m e a n s h e c a n n o t
t r a v e l t o M u z a f f a r N a g a r . A t t h e h i g h e s t s h e c a n b e p a i d e x p e n s e s f o r
t r a v e l a n d s t a y . W e , t h e r e f o r e , d i r e c t t h a t t h e r e s p o n d e n t s h a l l p a y t o
t h e p e t i t i o n e r a n d a c o m p a n i o n t r a v e l a n d s t a y e x p e n s e s o n e v e r y
o c c a s i o n t h a t t h e p e t i t i o n e r i s r e q u i r e d t o g o t o M u z a f f a r N a g a r . T h e
C o u r t a t M u z a f f a r N a g a r s h a l l e n s u r e t h a t s u c h p a y m e n t i s m a d e t o t h e
p e t i t i o n e r o n e v e r y o c c a s i o n . W i t h t h e s e d i r e c t i o n s , t h e t r a n s f e r
p e t i t i o n s a r e d i s m i s s e d .
”
9. Coordinate Bench of this Court in the case of Sunaina Vishwakarma Vs.
9.
Sunaina Vishwakarma Vs.
Vijay Kumar Vishwakarma, 2023 SCC Online MP 1148 (para 12), has held as
Vijay Kumar Vishwakarma, 2023 SCC Online MP 1148 (para 12),
under :-
” 1 4 .
1 4 . A p e r u s a l o f t h e a f o r e s a i d r e f l e c t t h a t i n t h e p r e s e n t c a s e , t h e
p e t i t i o n e r h a s f a i l e d t o m a k e o u t a c a s e o f i n c o n v e n i e n c e o r h a r d s h i p
i n a s m u c h a s , r e c e n t l y t h e p e t i t i o n e r h e r s e l f i s a p p e a r i n g i n t h e C o u r t a t
A n u p p u r i n t h e o t h e r c a s e s a n d r e c e n t l y o n 1 1 .0 4 .2 0 2 3 , t h e p e t i t i o n e r
h a s a p p e a r e d i n a c a s e w h i c h i s r e g i s t e r e d a g a i n s t t h e r e s p o n d e n t u n d e r
S e c t i o n 4 9 8 A o f I .P .C . T h e c o u n s e l f o r r e s p o n d e n t i n t h e p r e s e n t c a s e
h a s a l s o e x p r e s s e d t h a t h e i s w i l l i n g t o b e a r t h e e x p e n s e s w h i c h a r e
r e q u i r e d f o r a p p e a r a n c e o f t h e p e t i t i o n e r i n t h e p e t i t i o n f i l e d u n d e r
S e c t i o n 1 3 o f H i n d u M a r r i a g e A c t b y t h e r e s p o n d e n t / h u s b a n d .
1 5 .
1 5 . A c c o r d i n g l y , i n v i e w o f t h e a f o r e s a i d , t h i s C o u r t i s n o t i n c l i n e d t o
t r a n s f e r t h e c a s e N o . R C S H M N o . 4 0 / 1 9 f r o m t h e C o u r t o f F i r s t
A d d i t i o n a l D i s t r i c t J u d g e , K o t m a , A n u p p u r D i s t r i c t t o D i s t r i c t J a b a l p u r
a n d a c c o r d i n g l y , t h e p r e s e n t p e t i t i o n s t a n d s d i s m i s s e d .
”
( e m p h a s i s s u p p l i e d )
10.
10. Coordinate Bench of this Court in the case of Malti Shakyawar Vs.
Malti Shakyawar Vs.
Mukesh Shakyawar, 2019 SCC Online MP 1433, (para 10), has held as under :-
Mukesh Shakyawar, 2019 SCC Online MP 1433, (para 10),
1 0 .
1 0 . I n t h e p r e s e n t c a s e , t h e r e s p o n d e n t h a s f i l e d t h e a p p l i c a t i o n u n d e r
S e c t i o n 1 3 o f H i n d u M a r r i a g e A c t , s e e k i n g d i v o r c e o n t h e g r o u n d o f
c r u e l t y . H e i s r e q u i r e d t o p r o v e h i s c a s e b y w a y o f e v i d e n c e . I f t h e
p r o c e e d i n g s a r e t r a n s f e r r e d f r o m B i a o r a R a j g a r h t o B e r a s i y a t h e n , h e
w i l l h a v e t o b r i n g a l l h i s w i t n e s s e s t o t h e B e r a s i y a , t h e r e f o r e , e n t i r e
p r o c e e d i n g o n t h e b a s i s o f a p p r e h e n s i o n o f t h e p e t i t i o n e r t h a t s h e m a y
f a c e p r o b l e m i n f u t u r e w h i l e a t t e n d i n g t h e p r o c e e d i n g s a t B i a o r a c a n n o t
b e t r a n s f e r r e d .
1 1 .
1 1 . P a r t i e s a r e n o t r e q u i r e d t o a t t e n d e a c h a n d e v e r y d a t e o f t h e
p r o c e e d i n g s h i s / h e r l a w y e r c a n a t t a i n t h e p r o c e e d i n g s . T h e p r e s e n c e o f
p a r t i e s a r e r e q u i r e d i n m a t r i m o n i a l c a s e s o n l y a t t h e s t a g e o f
c o n c i l i a t i o n a n d t h e e v i d e n c e . T h e r e s t o f t h e p r o c e e d i n g s c a n b e
a t t e n d e d b y t h e i r c o u n s e l . H e n c e , a t t h i s s t a g e , I d o n o t f i n d a n y s p e c i a l
r e a s o n f o r t r a n s f e r o f t h e R C S N o . 5 7 / 2 0 1 8 , f r o m B i a o r a R a j g a r h t o
B e r a s i y a a t B h o p a l .
”
11.
11. Coordinate Bench of this Court in the case of Sujata Vs. Abhishek
Sujata Vs. Abhishek
Kulhare, 2019 SCC Online MP 6795 (para 7 & 8), has held as under :-
Kulhare, 2019 SCC Online MP 6795 (para 7 & 8),
” 8 .
” 8 . T h e s a i d j u d g m e n t h a s b e e n r e l i e d b y t h i s C o u r t i n t h e c a s e
o f S a n g e e t a B h o j a k v . R a j k u m a r B h o j a k r e p o r t e d i n ( 2 0 1 7 ) 3 M P L J
5 6 5 , w h e r e i n i t h a s b e e n h e l d t h a t t h e c o n v e n i e n c e a n d t h e d i s t a n c e
a l o n e i s n o t t h e c r i t e r i a f o r s h o w i n g l e n i e n c y i n f a v o u r o f t h e a p p l i c a n t
w i f e .
9 . 9 . I n t h e p r e s e n t c a s e a l s o e x c e p t f o r s h o w i n g i n c o n v e n i e n c e o f
t r a v e l l i n g a l o n e f r o m D a m o h t o J a b a l p u r , t h e a p p l i c a n t w i f e h a s n o t
s h o w n a n y o t h e r i n c o n v e n i e n c e .
1 0 .
1 0 . I n v i e w o f t h e a f o r e s a i d , I d o n o t f i n d a n y c a s e f o r t r a n s f e r o f t h e
m a t r i m o n i a l p r o c e e d i n g s f r o m F a m i l y C o u r t , J a b a l p u r t o D a m o h .
A c c o r d i n g l y , t h e M C C i s d i s m i s s e d .
”
( e m p h a s i s s u p p l i e d )
12.
Pooja Sharma
12. Similarly, coordinate Bench of this Court in the case of Pooja Sharma
Vs. Rakesh, 2019 SCC Online MP 5182 has held as under :-
Vs. Rakesh, 2019 SCC Online MP 5182
” 8 . ” 8 .
T h i s C o u r t i n t h e m a t t e r s o f S m t . P r a t i b h a
M i s h r a v . M u k e s h M i s h r a , v i d e o r d e r d a t e d 2 8 .1 0 .2 0 1 0
p a s s e d i n M C C N o . 5 1 0 / 2 0 0 9 , A n a m i k a P a n d e y v . S h r i h a r
P a n d e y v i d e o r d e r d a t e d 2 7 .0 8 .2 0 1 5 p a s s e d i n M C C N o .
1 4 4 9 / 2 0 1 4 , D e e p a K u t t a p a n v . A n i l R a j a n v i d e o r d e r d a t e d
1 2 .0 1 .2 0 0 7 p a s s e d i n M C C N o . 1 5 3 6 / 2 0 0 6 a n d S m t . A d i t i
C h o u h a n v . D e e p a k C h o u h a n v i d e o r d e r d a t e d 1 4 .0 3 .2 0 1 6
8 3 / 2 0 1 6 h a s d i s m i s s e d t h e s i m i l a r
p a s s e d i n M C C N o . t r a n s f e r a p p l i c a t i o n s .
9 . 9 . T h i s C o u r t i n t h e m a t t e r o f D e e p a K u t t a p a n v . A n i l
R a j a n r e p o r t e d i n 2 0 0 7 ( 2 ) M P L J 3 7 7 w h i c h p e r m i t s t h e
a p p l i c a n t t o f i l e a n a p p l i c a t i o n f o r e x e m p t i o n o n c e r t a i n
d a t e s f o r s u f f i c i e n t c a u s e f o r n o n a p p e a r a n c e . N e e d l e s s t o
s a y t h a t t h e a p p l i c a n t i s n o t r e q u i r e d t o a p p e a r b e f o r e t h e
F a m i l y C o u r t o n e a c h a n d e v e r y d a t e a n d i s r e q u i r e d t o
a p p e a r o n l y o n t h e c o n c e r n e d d a t e s w h e n t h e p e r s o n a l
p r e s e n c e i s r e q u i r e d . C o u n s e l f o r t h e r e s p o n d e n t h a s a l r e a d y
s t a t e d b e f o r e t h i s C o u r t t h a t t h e r e s p o n d e n t w i l l b e p a y i n g
t h e t r a v e l l i n g a s w e l l a s t h e l o d g i n g a n d b o a r d i n g e x p e n s e s
f o r t h e a p p l i c a n t a n d o n e a c c o m p a n y i n g p e r s o n a s a n d w h e n
s h e i s r e q u i r e d t o t r a v e l f r o m R a t l a m t o I n d o r e .
( e m p h a s i s s u p p l i e d )
13. From the above enunciation of law, it is clear that now convenience of wife/lady is not the paramount consideration for deciding the transfer applications and alternatives to transfer proceedings have been provided, viz. through Video Conferencing. If the matter is to be proved by the witnesses of the place where the matter is being prosecuted then the other side can suitably be adjusted by making payment of commute.
14. Since both the FIRs have been lodged by the applicant at Narsinghpur against the respondent-husband for which the applicant had to travel to Narsinghpur to record her statement as well as the fact that an application under Section 9 of the Hindu Marriage Act has been filed by the respondent-husband at Family Court, Narsinghpur, therefore, considering the totality of the facts and circumstances of the case, the application is disposed of with a direction that the applicant may appear before the Family Court, District Narsinghpur through video conferencing. The applicant shall attend the Court at Narsinghpur for her examination on the date fixed by the Court below for which the expenses would be borne by the respondent. The Family Court, Narsinghpur is directed to fix the date for examination of the applicant and accordingly, direct the respondent to make payment of the expenses of travel, lodging and boarding. For further dates and adjudication, the applicant is at liberty to appear before the Court through video conferencing and counsel who is appearing at Narsinghpur.
15. With the aforesaid, the MCC stands disposed of.
(DEEPAK KHOT)
JUDGE