A Suit or a proceeding for a declaration as to the validity of both marriage and matrimonial status of a person is within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Family Court, the Supreme Court has held in BALRAM YADAV VS. FULMANIYA YADAV. Division Bench comprising of Justices Kurian Joseph and R.F. Nariman set aside Chattisgarh High Court judgment which had held that a negative declaration with respect to matrimonial status was outside the jurisdiction of the Family Court. The Referring to relevant provisions of Family Courts Act, Hindu Marriage Act and the Code of Civil Procedure, the Bench held “Under Section 7(1) Explanation (b), a Suit or a proceeding for a declaration as to the validity of both marriage and matrimonial status of a person is within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Family Court, since under Section 8, all those jurisdictions covered under Section 7 are excluded from the purview of the jurisdiction of the Civil Courts. In case, there is a dispute on the matrimonial sta...