Lawzonline.com 
 
Home|Discussion Forum|Communities|Professional Search|Law Dictionary|Bare Acts|Law Schools|State Bare Acts|Free Judgement Search|Law quotes
Articles  |    Humor    |    Law Digest
 
 
Search Law digest:
 
 
Index - Matrimonial Law
 
 
   
  
 
 
  
Y. Narasimha Rao And Ors vs Y. Venkata Lakshmi And Anr (SC) 
1991 SCR (2) 821, 1991 SCC (3) 451 

 

 
In relation to foreign judgement it is necessary to ascertain and ensure effective contents, in the absence of which it should be held that the proceedings are in breach of the principle of natural justice.
 

 

 
 

Clause (d) of Section 13 which makes a foreign judgment unenforceable on the ground that the proceedings in which it is obtained are opposed to natural justice, states no more than an elementary principle on which any civilised system of justice rests. However, in matters concerning the family law such as the matrimonial disputes, this principle has to be extended to mean something more than mere compliance with the technical rules of procedure. If the rule of audi alteram partem has any meaning with reference to the proceedings in a foreign court, for the purposes of the rule it should not be deemed sufficient that the respondent has been duly served with the process of the court. It is necessary to ascertain whether the respondent was in a position to present or represent himself/herself and contest effectively the said proceedings. This requirement should apply equally to the appellate proceedings if and when they are file by either party. If the foreign court has not ascertained and ensured such effective contest by requiring the petitioner to make all necessary provisions for the respondent to defend including the costs of travel, residence and litigation where necessary, it should be held that the proceedings are in breach of the principles of natural justice. It is for this reason that we find that the rules of Private International Law of some countries insist, even in commercial matters, that the action should be filed in the forum where the defendant is either domiciled or is habitually resident. It is only in special cases which is called special jurisdiction where the claim has some real link with other forum that a judgment of such forum is recognised. This jurisdiction principle is also recognised by the Judgments Convention of this European Community . If, therefore, the courts in this country also insist as a matter of rule that foreign matrimonial judgment will be recognised only it it is of the forum where the respondent is domiciled or habitually and permanently resides, the provisions of clause (d) may be held to have been satisfied. The provision of clause (e) of Section 13 which requires that the courts in this country will not recognise a foreign judgment if it has been obtained by fraud, is self-evident. However, in view of the decision of this Court in Smt. Satya v. Teja Singh, (supra) it must be understood that the fraud need not be only in relation to the merits of the mater but may also be in relation to jurisdictional facts.

 
 

 

 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

Privacy PolicyDisclaimer

Copyright @Lawzonline.com