law: Special Marriage Act, 1954 
  31. Court to which petition should be made
   34  [(1) Every petition
  
  under Chapter V or Chapter VI shall be presented to the district court within
  
  the local limits of whose original civil jurisdiction-
  (i) the marriage was
  
  solemnize ; 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
  (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 that territories to which this Act extends, or has not
  
  been heard of as being alive for a period of seven years by those who would
  
  naturally have heard of him if he were alive.]
  (2) Without prejudice
  
  to any jurisdiction exercisable by the court under sub-section (1), the district
  
  court may, by virtue of this sub-section, entertain a petition by a wife
  
  domiciled in the territories to which this Act extends for nullity of marriage
  
  or for divorce if she is resident in the said territories and has been
  
  ordinarily resident therein for a period of three years immediately preceding
  
  the presentation of the petition and the husband is not resident in the said
  
  territories.