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Neutral Citation No. - 2025:AHC:116839 Court No. - 9 Case :- MATTERS UNDER ARTICLE 227 No. - 7222 of 2025 Petitioner :- Nitin Chauhan Respondent :- Bhavna Chauhan Counsel for Petitioner :- Laxmi Kant Bhatt Hon'ble Manish Kumar Nigam,J.
1. Heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the record. 2. Learned counsel for the petitioner is permitted to make necessary corrections in the prayer clause of the writ petition during course of the day. 3. The writ petition has been filed seeking following relief :-
"Allow the misc. petition, directing the Court below i.e. Learned Additional Principal, Family Court No.2, Meerut to decide the Matrimonial Case No.2649 of 2023 (Nitin Chauhan versus Bhavna Chauhan) under section 13(1)(ia) of Hindu Marriage Act, pending in the Court of learned Additional Principal Judge, Family Court No.2, Meerut within stipulated period as prescribed by this Hon'ble High Court."
4. Contention of learned counsel for the petitioner is that the proceedings under Section 13(1))(ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act are pending since 2023. It has been further contended by learned counsel for the petitioner that appropriate directions be issued to the Additional Principal Judge, Family Court No.2, Meerut, seized with the proceedings u/s 13(1)(ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act to decide the same within a stipulated time or in a time frame as may be fixed by this Court. 5. Learned counsel for the petitioner brought attention of the Court to the provision of Section 21-B of the Hindu Marriage Act which contemplates to conclude the trial within six months from the date of service of notice of petition on the respondents. 6. Section 21-B of the Hindu Marriage Act is quoted as under:
"21-B. Special provision relating to trial and disposal of petitions under the Act.-(1) The trial of a petition under this Act shall, so far as is practicable consistently with the interest of justice in respect of the trial, be continued from day to day until its conclusion unless the Court finds the adjournment of the trial beyond the following day to be necessary for reasons to be recorded. (2) Every petition under this Act shall be tried as expeditiously as possible and endeavour shall be made to conclude the trial within six months from the date of
service of notice of the petition on the respondent.
(3) Every appeal under this Act shall be tried as expeditiously as possible, and endeavour shall be made to conclude the hearing within three months from the date of service of notice of appeal on the respondent."
7. In view of the statutory requirement as contemplated under Section 21-B of the Hindu Marriage Act, no useful purpose would be served in keeping this petition pending. 8. The Additional Principal Judge, Family Court No.2, Meerut is directed to consider and decide the aforesaid pending proceeding before him, in accordance with law, expeditiously, after hearing all the concerned parties and giving a reasonable opportunity of leading evidence in respect of their case provided there is no other legal impediment, keeping in view the statutory mandate of Section 21-B of the Hindu Marriage Act quoted above. 9. With these observations, this petition is disposed of. Order Date :- 17.7.2025 Rishabh [Manish Kumar Nigam, J.] Digitally signed by :- RISHABH KUMAR High Court of Judicature at Allahabad