<p>A bench of Justices P Sathasivam and B S Chauhan issued the notice after holding that the issue involved an important question of law as to whether Indian courts can entertain matrimonial suits if the warring couple had not performed their marriage in India.<br /><br />The estranged husband R Sridhar, in his petition filed through counsel K K Mani, contended that the Indian courts have no jurisdiction to entertain the divorce suit filed by the actress as their marriage was performed in the United States under the Foreign Marriage Act, 1969.<br /><br />The petitioner, who is a software engineer, moved the apex court after the matrimonial court and the Madras High Court dismissed his plea challenging the maintainability of the divorce suit filed by Sukanya.<br /><br />The couple got married in the US on March 17, 2002. The marriage was performed in the Balaji Temple at New Jersey as per Hindu rites and customs, the petition claimed. After their relationship soured, Sukanya had filed a divorce suit on March 3, 2004.<br /><br />Subsequently, the matrimonial court issued him summons.<br /><br />According to the petition, Sridhar is an American citizen, the marriage was performed in the US and registered with the marriage officer under the Foreign Marriage Act and hence only US laws will apply.<br /><br />It said Sridhar and Sukanya lived as husband and wife in the US before she returned to India.</p>
<p>A bench of Justices P Sathasivam and B S Chauhan issued the notice after holding that the issue involved an important question of law as to whether Indian courts can entertain matrimonial suits if the warring couple had not performed their marriage in India.<br /><br />The estranged husband R Sridhar, in his petition filed through counsel K K Mani, contended that the Indian courts have no jurisdiction to entertain the divorce suit filed by the actress as their marriage was performed in the United States under the Foreign Marriage Act, 1969.<br /><br />The petitioner, who is a software engineer, moved the apex court after the matrimonial court and the Madras High Court dismissed his plea challenging the maintainability of the divorce suit filed by Sukanya.<br /><br />The couple got married in the US on March 17, 2002. The marriage was performed in the Balaji Temple at New Jersey as per Hindu rites and customs, the petition claimed. After their relationship soured, Sukanya had filed a divorce suit on March 3, 2004.<br /><br />Subsequently, the matrimonial court issued him summons.<br /><br />According to the petition, Sridhar is an American citizen, the marriage was performed in the US and registered with the marriage officer under the Foreign Marriage Act and hence only US laws will apply.<br /><br />It said Sridhar and Sukanya lived as husband and wife in the US before she returned to India.</p>