Court slams ₹1 lakh-earning wife's maintenance plea: 'Tearing flesh'

Bhopal (The Uttam Hindu): In a significant decision, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has ruled that a financially capable wife's demand for maintenance cannot be justified. The court issued a strong statement dismissing the petition and upholding the family court's order.

During the hearing, Justice Vivek Jain, citing English writer William Shakespeare's famous play "The Merchant of Venice," said that this demand appeared to be akin to asking for a piece of flesh from someone's body. The court clarified that such a demand could not be accepted.

The woman's income is sufficient, but there is no basis for maintenance

The court found that the woman's monthly income exceeds 1 lakh rupees, which allows her to comfortably support herself. Furthermore, the couple does not have any children, for whom she would have the additional responsibility of raising them. The court stated that the provision of maintenance applies when the wife is financially dependent or responsible for the children. In this case, no such basis exists.

The Family Court's decision was approved

Earlier, on February 18, 2026, the Family Court had ordered that the woman would not be paid any maintenance until the divorce proceedings were completed. The High Court upheld this decision, stating that there was no need for interference. The couple was married on November 4, 2022, and have been living separately since 2023. The husband had filed for divorce, while the wife had sought maintenance from the court.

Arguments from both sides regarding income:

In the petition, the woman admitted that she was employed and that her annual income was previously around 2 million rupees, while her husband's income was reported to be over 3 million rupees. Later, the woman stated in court that her income had decreased to approximately 1.4 million rupees annually. However, the High Court stated that even if this figure is accepted, the woman's monthly income still amounts to approximately 1.25 lakh rupees, which makes her financially independent.

The Court's clear message

The Court reiterated in its judgment that the purpose of maintenance is to support the financially weak or dependent spouse and not to provide additional benefits to an already capable spouse.