Special Marriage Act, 1954
31. Court to which petition should be made
34 [(1) Every petition
under Chapter V or Chapter VI shall be presented to the district court within
the local limits of whose original civil jurisdiction-
(i) the marriage was
solemnize ; 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
(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 that territories to which this Act extends, or has not
been heard of as being alive for a period of seven years by those who would
naturally have heard of him if he were alive.]
(2) Without prejudice
to any jurisdiction exercisable by the court under sub-section (1), the district
court may, by virtue of this sub-section, entertain a petition by a wife
domiciled in the territories to which this Act extends for nullity of marriage
or for divorce if she is resident in the said territories and has been
ordinarily resident therein for a period of three years immediately preceding
the presentation of the petition and the husband is not resident in the said
territories.