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Who can seek Maintenance under Section 125 of the CrPC?

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Legislated as a tool for social justice, Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 provides an effective remedy for neglected persons to seek maintenance. But, who all can seek maintenance?

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Legislated as a tool for social justice, Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 provides an effective remedy for neglected persons to seek maintenance. A follower of any religion can apply for maintenance under Section 125 without restriction.

Who Can Claim Maintenance?

 Some of the laws applicable to the matters of maintenance to wives, parents, sons, daughters and other dependents and the Acts covered within the jurisdiction of the Family Courts are the following.

  • Family Courts Act, 1984
  • Hindu Adoptions And Maintenance Act, 1956
  • Protection of Women From Domestic Violence Act, 2005
  • Protection of Women From Domestic Violence Rules, 2006
  • Hindu Marriage Act, 1955
  • Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986
  • Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Rules, 1986
  • Maintenance And Welfare of Parents And Senior Citizens Act, 2007
  • Maintenance Orders Enforcement Act, 1921
  • Special Marriage Act, 1954
  • Divorce Act, 1869

Under Section 125, any of the following persons can claim maintenance.

Wife

A woman is considered as the “wife” only if her marriage to the man is legally valid.

For Hindus, a legally valid marriage requires that:

  • both parties are Hindus,
  • the marriage is performed in accordance with customary rites of the parties,
  • neither party has a living spouse at the time of marriage,
  • neither party is of unsound mind at the time of marriage,
  • the male is at least 21 years old,
  • the female is at least 18 years old and
  • both parties are not related by sapinda or within prohibited degrees of relationships.

For Hindus, the second wife cannot claim maintenance because a second marriage is forbidden by law and is not recognised as being valid. The second wife is entitled to claim maintenance only if the husband concealed his first marriage from her.

For Muslims, a legally valid marriage requires that:

  • both parties are Muslims of sound mind
  • both parties have attained puberty (presumed at the age of 15),
  • both parties consent to the marriage,
  • the parties are not temporarily or permanently prohibited from marrying each other,
  • the woman is not married to another man or observing iddat for another man,
  • a proposal (ijab) is made,
  • an acceptance of the proposal (qubul) is made,
  • both proposal and acceptance are made at the same occasion and signify the establishment of marriage with the immediate effect,
  • the proposal and acceptance are not repugnant to the Shariat,
  • the proposal and acceptance are witnessed by two men or a man and two women who are Muslim adults of sound mind, know the bride and groom with certainty and understand the proposal and acceptance.

Live-in relationships are presumed to be a marriage. The wife who lives separately without sufficient reasons or due to personal mutual agreement cannot claim maintenance. “Wife” includes a divorced woman, but she must not be remarried on the date that she files an application for maintenance. A divorced Muslim wife can claim maintenance even if the iddat period has passed, but she must not be remarried. The age of the wife is irrelevant in claims of maintenance – she may be a minor or a major. Additionally, the wife must not be living in adultery.

Child

Male and female children, irrespective of whether they are born inside or outside the legally valid marriage of the father and mother, can claim maintenance. They must be minors to claim maintenance. They may be married or unmarried.

Adult children can claim maintenance from their parents only if they have a physical or mental abnormality that makes them unable to maintain themselves. An adult unmarried daughter can claim maintenance from her parents.

Married minor girls can claim maintenance from their parents till they turn 18 if their husbands do not have sufficient means to maintain them. However, married adult girls cannot claim maintenance from the parents.

Mother and Father

Both the mother and the father, whether natural or adoptive, can claim maintenance from any one or more of their children. Daughters are also liable to pay maintenance to the mother and the father. A step-mother can claim maintenance only if she is a widow and does not have natural-born sons or daughters.

 Conditions for Granting Maintenance:

 Person from whom maintenance is claimed must have the ability to pay maintenance. Ability means being employed, owning land, having a source of income or having a healthy body capable of work.

  1. The person must have neglected the claimant or refused to pay maintenance.
  2. Persons claiming maintenance must be unable to maintain themselves. If a person is healthy, adequately educated or capable of pursuing gainful employment no maintenance is given. Wives and elderly parents are generally given maintenance. The mere fact that the wife is earning does not disentitle her from claiming maintenance. The question is whether she is able to maintain the same standard of living that subsisted prior to the neglect or divorce with her own earnings without having to depend on another.

What is the Amount of Maintenance that can be given?

Maintenance orders under Section 125 can be heard only by the Judicial Magistrate of First Class. She can order a monthly allowance of maintenance that she deems just and fair. This is usually decided after considering the income of the person, the standard of living that is consistent with the status of the claimant and the separate earnings, if any, of the claimant. The maintenance must aid in ensuring the same standard of living for the claimant. It must neither be so plentiful that it tempts the claimant to rely solely on maintenance nor so pitiful that it pushes the claimant into vagrancy or a lower standard of living.

Maintenance is payable either from the date of order of payment or from the date of application for maintenance, depending on the court’s judgment of the cooperation and decent behaviour demonstrated by the parties.

A second application of maintenance is allowed under Section 125 and the quantum of maintenance can be enhanced with passage of time or change in material circumstances and prices.

Where Can Maintenance Proceedings be Filed?

 A wife can file maintenance proceedings in any place where :

  • husband resides; or
  • wife resides; or
  • husband is physically present at the particular point of time; or
  • husband last resided with wife.

Parents can file maintenance proceedings in any place where :

  • they reside; or
  • the child resides.

 Enforcement of Maintenance Order

After a maintenance order is passed, a copy of the order must be supplied to the claimant free of cost. The person who is ordered to pay maintenance must obey the court order. The failure to pay maintenance without sufficient reason will result in a court warrant for collecting the amount due. The court warrant can attach any immovable property or salary of the person. If the person does not pay maintenance even after the warrant is executed, the person is liable to imprisonment for a maximum of 1 month or until the amount is paid, whichever is earlier. The application for enforcement of maintenance must be filed within 1 year from the date on which it became due. Otherwise the application will be dismissed.

453 Family Courts currently functional

 As per government data, a total of 453 family courts are functional in the country as on August 2016. Thousands of cases are pending in these courts. More than 2.5 lakh cases are pending in Uttar Pradesh, more than 50000 in Bihar & Kerala.

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About Author

Srujana Bej is an undergraduate law student at the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR). She has a keen interest in human rights law and public policy.

24 Comments

    • Adv. Priyanka on

      no a wife cannot claim for maintenance if she willingly divorce her husband. there are so many Judgments given by Hon’ble Supreme Court in this regard.

      • Shaikh MD ali on

        Mam I am facing the case like that
        Can u sent any judgement asitation to me
        On my e mail

  1. if a wife filed other cases such as 498 and DVC and the cases are pending in the courts and the husband on bail then the husband has to pay miantenance to wife and childen

  2. We are muslims, I have been working abroad and my wife and children had been living with me. But my wife and her father have been planing to get hold of my property he told his daughter to come to india by collecting of property documents and steal some money from my pocket. then one day she as per plan started quarel and neighbours called police and police asked her to leave for india or stay quietly. she agreed to leave and took all gold ornaments and some money Rs 40,000 and acknowledge the same infront of a witmess and left india. and filed a false civil suit for maintenance, but had been sending monthly Rs15000 to 20000. i have proof for it.
    After 5 months i went to india vacation and stayed with my sister in another town, knowing this she immediately complained 498a i got bail and come back abroad and joined my duty.
    Now the lawyer told me don’t send any maintenace .as she has filed three cases 498a, maintenece case and DVC against me,
    does it affects on these cases if i will not send any maintenance?
    each time when i go india on vacation she and her father files false complaints therefore i decided to divroce her, does it affects these cases
    Note: i purchase 15 tolas gold for her, i gave around 5 lakhs to her father on different occasions i have copies of cheques and DDs. will these things help me in these cases. i did not take any dowry money. After going back to india i gave her Rs115000 in a period of 5 months will these things will go in my favour. she and her father requested the police to seize my passport and told not allow me to go abroad and the demanded Rs 50,00,000 or half of the property. but the magistrate refused and told he has no right to seize my passport and told the Sub inspector to handover my passport to me.

    i humbly request all the lawyers to advise me what will be best solution to this
    as i decided to pronounce tripple talq her to end this torture and black mail.

  3. A. RAMA MOHAN. on

    I am not an advocate but I am knowing law related to these type of issues because my daughter underwent both physical and emotional abuse in the hands of husband and in laws. When I had a hint of what was happening to my daughter who was gulping the abuse I started recording phone and personal conversations which are very good evidence in my fight in the courts.
    I am here to say only two things.
    (1) No police will go harshly on husbands since they are afraid of Supreme court orders in 498A and DVC cases not to harass the accused. They are obligated to tell accused or respondents about availabilty of BAIl on asking and will let you off on bail. But you can not go away to any place after obtaining bail. You are expected to attend court proceedings atleast through an advocate and present in the court when the presiding officer orders you to be present.
    (2) Police officers are well aware that they can not take away your passport; but the magistrate can ask the passport officer to impound your passport if you are not attending the court and a non bailable warrant is issued against you.

  4. Lakshmi Mounica on

    can a minor daughter claim maintenance from her deceased fathers parents i.e., paternal grand parents.

  5. SAPAN KUMAR DAS (Retired) on

    I am a Private sector Retired person,after retirement i am getting monthly EPF pension Rs.2,000/= only,but my wife is a Government servant,she is getting salary Rs.80,000/= per month.My Divorce case is running with High Court,now it is still pending.In this condition Can I get monthly pension from my wife,because i have no income sources.Can i file case for my maintenance under CPC 125 with district court ?,please reply & call me 8109262754.

  6. SAPAN KUMAR DAS (Retired) on

    Can one retired husband get maintenance from government service wife under crpc 125?, kindly give me guideline.

  7. sir please tell me that ,is it also the husband family members are liable to pay the maintenance to the wife of his son.

  8. Should i pay maintenance to my 21 year old daughter who is well educated and does not want to work or marry

  9. Sir my wife went along her brother after compromising a false complaint in the p station 3 years back.now as I sent her a notice to join me ,she is filling case for the maintenance. Will the judge order for the same without hearing,as her brother s are politicians.

  10. Husband and wife living separately after case under 498a is filed.their 2 year old son is in custody of his father.whether the father in this case can claim maintenance from his wife for the child under sec 125 (1) crpc.husband and wife are working in bank. Husband ‘ salary is 1.5 times more than hids wife and has no liability except himself. Whether the case is maintainable in court.

  11. RANJEET SHAKTI SHARMA on

    I AM A GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE AND FILED DIVORCE CASE. NOW MY WIFE FILED MAINTENANCE CASE AND CLAIMING MAINTENANCE FOR BOTH MY SONS ELDER SON’S AGE IS 21 YEARS AND DOING FINAL YEAR OF ENGINEERING AND YOUNGER SON’S AGE IS 17 YEARS XII CLASS.

  12. Sir,

    My father is retired from Government of India, 2016. but my grand parents wants a maintenance amount. but my grand father is no more and my grand mother is alive. but she wants also a maintenance. my father giving a maintenance amount (5000/- per month) after retirement [(2016) to till date] of his mother.

    My grand mother is also a rented accommodation per month. and she has a own house. and she is also court case our own house . Our own home is made by my parents.

    It is mandatory to give a maintenance amont to her mother after retirement or not?

    Government Retired employee and he has a two children unmarried. who is responsibility of him. both are unmarried and Unemployment also.

    It is mandatory or not? (AFTER RETIREMENT)
    or any judicial rule..if any please explain me.

    please reply me as soon as possible.

    regards
    preeti

  13. filed cases such as 498 and DVC and the cases are pending in the courts and the husband on bail then the husband has to pay miantenance to wife

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