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REPORTABLE IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CIVIL APPEAL NO.4500 OF 2016

(Arising out of SLP(C) No. 8076 OF 2015) BALRAM YADAV                                       Petitioner                                 VERSUS FULMANIYA YADAV                                    Respondent

J U D G M E N T KURIAN, J.

Leave granted. 1. The appellant instituted a Civil Suit before the Family  Court, Ambikapur, Sarguja, Chhattisgarh seeking a declaration to  the effect that respondent is not his legally married wife. By  judgment dated 28.12.2013, the Civil Suit was decreed declaring  that the respondent was not appellant's legally married wife. 2. The respondent, being aggrieved, moved the High Court of  Chhattisgarh.  The  High  court,  as  per  the  impugned  order  dated  14.01.2015, allowed the appeal holding that the Family Court lacked  jurisdiction to deal with the matter.  According to the High Court,  a negative declaration was outside the jurisdiction of the Family  Court.  3. Heard the learned counsel for the parties.   4. Section 7 of the Family Courts Act, 1984(for short “the  Act”) deals with the jurisdiction of the Family Courts, which reads  as follows:-

“Jurisdiction.-(1) Subject to the other provisions  of this Act, a Family Court shall-"

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(a)  have  and  exercise  all  the  jurisdiction  exercisable  by  any  district  court  or  any  subordinate civil court under any law for the time  being in force in respect of suits and proceedings  of the nature referred to in the explanation; and (b) be deemed, for the purposes of exercising such  jurisdiction  under  such  law,  to  be  a  district  court or, as the case may be, such subordinate  civil court for the area to which the jurisdiction  of the Family Court extends.  Explanation.-The suits and proceedings referred to  in this sub-section are suits and proceedings of  the following nature, namely:- (a)a suit or proceeding between the parties to a  marriage  for  a  decree  of  nullity  of  marriage  (declaring the marriage to be null and void or, as  the  case  may  be,  annulling  the  marriage)  or  restitution  of  conjugal  rights  or  judicial  separation or dissolution of marriage; (b) a suit or proceeding for a declaration as to  the  validity  of  a  marriage  or  as  to  the  matrimonial status of any person; (c) a suit or proceeding between the parties to a  marriage  with  respect  to  the  property  of  the  parties or of either of them; (d)  a  suit  or  proceeding  for  an  order  or  injunction  in  circumstances  arising  out  of  a  marital relationship; (e) a suit or proceeding for a declaration as to  the legitimacy of any person; (f) a suit or proceeding for maintenance; (g)  a  suit  or  proceeding  in  relation  to  the  guardianship of the person or the custody of, or  access to, any minor. (2) Subject to the other provisions of this Act, a  Family Court shall also have and exercise- (a) the jurisdiction exercisable by a Magistrate  of the First Class under Chapter IX (relating to  order  for  maintenance  of  wife,  children  and  parents) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973  (2 of 1974); and

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(b) such other jurisdiction as may be conferred on  it by any other enactment.”

5. Section  8  of  the  Act  deals  with  the  exclusion  of  jurisdiction, which reads as follows:-

“8.  Exclusion  of  jurisdiction  and  pending  proceedings.-Where  a  Family  Court  has  been  established for any area,- .-Where a Family Court  has been established for any area,-" (a) no district court or any subordinate civil  

court referred to in sub-section (1) of section 7  shall, in relation to such area, have or exercise  any  jurisdiction  in  respect  of  any  suit  or  proceeding of the nature  referred  to  in  the  Explanation to that sub-section; (b)  no  magistrate  shall,  in  relation  to  such  

area, have or exercise any jurisdiction  or  power under Chapter IX of the Code of Criminal   Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974);

(c)  every  suit  or  proceeding  of  the  nature  referred to in the Explanation to sub-section (1)  of section 7 and every proceeding under Chapter  IX of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of  1974),-

(i) which is pending immediately before  the   establishment of such Family Court  before any district court or subordinate  court referred to in that sub-section or,  as the case may be, before any magistrate  under the said Code; and (ii) which would have been required to  be instituted or taken before or by such  Family Court if, before the date on which  such suit or proceeding was instituted or  taken, this Act had come into force and  such Family Court had been established,

shall stand transferred to such Family Court on the  date on which it is established.”

6. Section 20 of the Family Courts Act, 1984 provides for  overriding effect of the Act on other laws or instruments having  the effect of law.  The said Section reads as follows:-

“20.Act to have overriding effect- The provisions  of  this  Act  shall  have  effect  notwithstanding

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anything  inconsistent  therewith  contained  in  any  other law for the time being in force or in any  instrument having effect by virtue of any law other  than this Act.”

7. Under Section 7(1) Explanation (b), a Suit or a proceeding  for  a  declaration  as  to  the  validity  of  both  marriage  and  matrimonial status of a person is within the exclusive jurisdiction  of the Family Court, since under Section 8, all those jurisdictions  covered  under  Section  7  are  excluded  from  the  purview  of  the  jurisdiction of the Civil Courts. In case, there is a dispute on  the matrimonial status of any person, a declaration in that regard  has  to  be  sought  only  before  the  Family  Court.   It  makes  no  difference as to whether it is an affirmative relief or a negative  relief.  What  is  important  is  the  declaration  regarding  the  matrimonial status.  Section 20 also endorses the view which we  have taken, since the Family Courts Act, 1984, has an overriding  effect on other laws.  8. In view of the above, the appeal is allowed.  The impugned  judgment of the High Court is set aside.  The matter is remitted to  the High Court to be decided on merits.  We request the High Court  to  hear  the  appeal  afresh  and  dispose  it  of  expeditiously,  preferably within a period of six months.

No costs.

                                            …....................J                                         (KURIAN JOSEPH)

                        …....................J NEW DELHI (ROHINTON FALI NARIMAN) APRIL 27, 2016