Special Marriage Act, 1954
40A. Power to transfer petitions in certain cases
(1) Where-
(a) a petition under this Act has been
presented to the district court having jurisdiction by a party to the marriage praying
for a decree for judicial separation under section 23 or for a decree of
divorce under section 27, and
(b) another petition under this Act has been
presented thereafter by the other party to the marriage praying for decree for
judicial separation under section 23, or for decree of divorce under section 27
on any ground whether in the same district court or in a different district
court, in the same State or in a different State, the petition shall be dealt
with as specified in sub-section (2).
(2) In this case where
sub-section (1) applies,-
(a) if the petitions are presented to the same
district court, both the petitions shall be tried and heard together by that
district court ;
(b) if the petitions are presented to
different district courts, the petition presented later shall be transferred to
the district court in which the earlier petition was presented and both the
petitions shall be heard and disposed of together by the district court in
which the earlier petition was presented.
(3) In a case where
clause (b) of sub-section (2) applies, the court or the Government, as the case
may be, competent under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 to transfer any suit
or proceeding from the district court in which the later petition has been
presented to the district court in which the earlier petition is pending, shall
exercise its powers to transfer such later petition as if it had been empowered
so to do under the said Code.