Tr.P.(C) No. 3 of 2026 Item No. 8 IN THE HIGH COURT OF MANIPUR AT IMPHAL Tr.P.(C) No. 3 of 2026 Shri Laishram Chitaranjan @ Ranjan Singh, aged about 46 years, S/o L. Dwijamani Singh of Old Bazar Mandop Leikai, Churachandpur, P.O. & P.S. Churachandpur, Churachandpur District, Manipur at present Thangjing Guest House, Central Relief and Rehabilitation Camp, P.O. & P.S. Moirang, Moirang, Bishnupur District, Manipur – 795133, A/P New Lambulane Checkon 2nd rented house. …Petitioner - Versus - Smt. Chongtham Thadoi Alias Abengou Devi, aged about 39 years, W/o Shri Laishram Chitaranjan @ Ranjan Singh and D/o Shri Chongtham Ibopishak Singh of Wahengbam Leikai, at present Tera Amudon Leikai, Amudon Laiharaoba Makhaong, P.O. & P.S. Imphal, Imphal West District, Manipur – 795001. …Respondent B E F O R E HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. M. SUNDAR For the petitioner : Ms. Sillori Laisom, Advocate For the respondent : Ms. H. Bisheshwari, Advocate Date of order : 06-08-2026 ORDER (ORAL) [1] The following abbreviations/short forms have been used in this order (for the sake of brevity, convenience and clarity): Sl. No. Abbreviation/Short Form/other short references Full Form/Expansion 1. CPC Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 2. Hindu Marriage Act The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 (25 of 1955) 2026:MNHC:157 Tr.P.(C) No. 3 of 2026 Sl. No. Abbreviation/Short Form/other short references Full Form/Expansion 3. said matrimonial suit Matrimonial (Divorce) Suit No. 13 of 2019 now on the file of Family Court, Churachandpur, Manipur 4. transferor court Family Court, Churachandpur, Manipur 5. transferree court Family Court, Imphal West, Manipur (Lamphelpat Court Complex) [2] Captioned transfer petition has been filed in this Court on 18-06- 2026 seeking transfer of said matrimonial suit from transferor court to transferree court or any other competent Court. The transfer petition has been filed inter alia under Section 24 of CPC and it is predicated on difficulty for the parties in travelling from Imphal and Bishnupur to transferor court which is situated in Churachandpur. To be noted, said matrimonial suit is a suit with a prayer for divorce filed by the husband inter alia under Section 13(1)(ia) of Hindu Marriage Act. Husband who is plaintiff in said matrimonial suit is the transfer petitioner before this Court and obviously, wife who is defendant in said matrimonial suit is the respondent in captioned transfer petition. [3] In the hearing today, Ms. Sillori Laisom, learned counsel on record for transfer petitioner-husband and Ms. H. Bisheshwari, learned counsel on record for respondent-wife are before this Court physically. [4] This order has to be read in continuation of and in conjunction with earlier proceedings made in the listings on 19-06-2026 and 31-07-2026 which read as follows:— Tr.P.(C) No. 3 of 2026 “19.06.2026 Considering the facts and circumstances of the case as prima facie case qua transfer plea has been made out, issue notice to respondent, returnable by 31.07.2026. Ms. Sillori Laisom, learned counsel on record for transfer petitioner is permitted to serve on learned counsel on record for defendant (respondent before this Court) in the Family Court in Matrimonial (Divorce) Suit No. 13 of 2019 on the file of Family Court, Churachandpur also. To be noted, serving on counsel on record for the defendant in the Family Court is in addition to regular notice. List on 31.07.2026.” “31.07.2026 Read this in conjunction with and in continuation of earlier proceedings made in the previous/first listing on 19.06.2026 which reads as follows: ‘19.06.2026 Considering the facts and circumstances of the case as prima facie case qua transfer plea has been made out, issue notice to respondent, returnable by 31.07.2026. Ms. Sillori Laisom, learned counsel on record for transfer petitioner is permitted to serve on learned counsel on record for defendant (respondent before this Court) in the Family Court in Matrimonial (Divorce) Suit No. 13 of 2019 on the file of Family Court, Churachandpur also. To be noted, serving on counsel on record for the defendant in the Family Court is in addition to regular notice. List on 31.07.2026.’ Today, the respondent has been served, she has entered Tr.P.(C) No. 3 of 2026 appearance through counsel and Ms. H. Bisheshwari Devi, learned counsel on record for respondent is before this Court Ms. Sillori Laishom, learned counsel on record for transfer petitioner is also before this Court. This Court is informed that the suit in Family Court has been filed by husband with a prayer for divorce inter alia under Section 13 (1) (ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 (25 of 1955). This court went into the e-Court website of the District Courts and it is seen that the last listing was on 11.08.2025 and a scanned reproduction of the proceedings made thereat is as follows: Ms. Sillori Laishom, learned counsel on record for transfer petitioner points out that the afore-referred proceedings has been annexed to the Paper Book as Annexure-A/3. This Court is informed that there is a minor child (son) from the wedlock and the minor is now with respondent who lives in Imphal West. This Court is also informed that the transfer petitioner/husband is now an Internally Displaced Person (IDP) and he lives in a relief camp and is under dialysis. Ms. H. Bisheshwari Devi, learned counsel on record for respondent requests for a short accommodation to get instructions and revert to this Court. This request is acceded to. Tr.P.(C) No. 3 of 2026 List next week. List on 06.08.2026.” [5] Adverting to afore-referred earlier proceedings, Ms. H. Bisheshwari, learned counsel on record for respondent, submits that since she has taken instructions from the respondent, respondent is not opposing the transfer plea as she is also facing difficulty in travelling from Imphal to transferor court in Churachandpur. To be noted, transfer petitioner-husband, as alluded to in earlier proceedings, is an Internally Displaced Person (IDP) and this Court is informed that he is now living in IDP camp in Bishnupur, likewise, as already alluded to in earlier proceedings, respondent-wife is living in Imphal and minor child from the wedlock is with her. The child is going to school in Imphal, is learned respondent’s counsel say. [6] In the light of the narrative thus far and owing to the consensus that has been arrived at, captioned transfer petition is disposed of by way of a consent order and the operative portion is as follows:— (i) Said matrimonial suit i.e., Matrimonial (Divorce) Suit No. 13 of 2019 now on the file of transferor court (Family Court, Churachandpur) is transferred to transferree court (Family Court, Imphal West); (ii) Transferor court, on 11-08-2025 has transferred the said matrimonial suit to Family Court, Manipur. It is not clear as to whether the transferor court has made this order in its capacity as District Judge in exercise of power under Section 24 of CPC. Be that as it may, for the sake of convenience and clarity, it is made clear that 11-08-2025 proceedings/orders Tr.P.(C) No. 3 of 2026 (extracted and reproduced in afore-referred 31-07-2026 proceedings of this Court) now stands effaced and the same stands subsumed by instant order of this Court (High Court). (iii) Entire suit file/case records pertaining to said matrimonial suit shall be sent by transferor court to transferree court forthwith and in any event within a fortnight from today i.e., on or before 20-08-2026. (iv) In exercise of power under sub-section 2 of Section 24 and with the consent of learned counsel on both sides, this Court makes it clear that transferree court shall now proceed from the point at which said matrimonial suit stands transferred i.e., the point at which it stands today. (v) With the consent of learned counsel on both sides, the next listing of said matrimonial suit before transferree court shall be 31-08-2026 (Monday). Learned counsel on both side submit that both parties will appear before the transferree court on 31-08-2026 without insisting on separate summons. On 31- 08-2026, transferree court shall fix another date and commence and continue the proceedings from where it stands today or take up the matter on the same day subject to the official business of the court. [7] In the light of the narrative, discussion and dispositive reasoning, captioned transfer petition is allowed and ordered albeit with directions and observations as alluded to supra. Tr.P.(C) No. 3 of 2026 [8] There shall be no order as to costs. CHIEF JUSTICE Victoria P.S. I : Upload forthwith. P.S. II : All concerned will stand bound by web copy uploaded in High Court website inter- alia as the same is QR coded. P.S. III : All courts and district judiciary in Manipur will stand bound by this order as regards the transfer petition. Ningom bam Victoria Digitally signed by Ningombam Victoria Date: 2026.08.07 15:37:52 +05'30'