1[19. Court to which petition shall be presented.—Every petition under this Act shall be presented to the District Court within the local limits of whose ordinary original civil jurisdiction:

(i) the marriage was solemnized, or

(ii) the respondent, at the time of the presentation of the petition, resides, or

(iii) the parties to the marriage last resided together, or

2[(iiia) in case the wife is the petitioner, where she is residing on the date of presentation of the petition; or]

(iv) the petitioner is residing at the time of the presentation of the petition, in a case where the respondent is at that time, residing outside the territories to which this Act extends, or has not been heard of as being alive for a period of seven years or more by those persons who would naturally have heard of him if he were alive.]

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Footnote -

1. Subs. by Act 68 of 1976, s. 12, for s. 19 (w.e.f. 27-5-1976).

2. Ins. by Act 50 of 2003, s. 4 (w.e.f. 23-12-2003).