The Karnataka High Court recently doubled the interim maintenance granted to a stay-at-home mother from ₹18,000 to ₹36,000 per month, stating that caring for children is a full-time job. Justice M. Nagaprasanna made this ruling while dismissing the husband’s claim that his wife was “lazing around” and could take up employment to support their children.
The case revolved around a woman’s challenge to a family court order, which had directed her husband to pay ₹18,000 in interim maintenance during their ongoing matrimonial dispute, even though she had asked for ₹36,000.
The court emphasized that the wife had quit her job to take care of their children, which involves far more than just ensuring their survival. It noted that being a homemaker and mother comes with numerous responsibilities and ongoing expenses. The judge remarked that the husband’s argument, suggesting the wife was not contributing because she wasn’t working outside the home, was incorrect, as taking care of children is a demanding, full-time commitment.
The woman’s lawyer pointed out that the husband, employed by Canara Bank, earned close to ₹90,000 per month and had not been paying for the children’s school fees and other expenses. The husband’s lawyer argued against the increase in maintenance, claiming the husband’s job was uncertain and that the wife, having previously worked as a lecturer, could earn on her own. He also noted that the husband had to support his elderly mother.
The court found that the woman’s decision to quit her job at her husband’s request was well-documented. Citing Supreme Court rulings, the court stressed that the maintenance awarded to the wife and children should reflect their cost of living and the lifestyle they were accustomed to while living with the husband.
The court rejected the husband’s claim of job instability, noting that he worked as a manager at Canara Bank, a secure government position with a stable salary that could only increase. The husband’s counsel’s arguments were deemed misleading.
Consequently, the High Court dismissed the husband’s contentions and ruled in favor of the wife, increasing her maintenance from ₹18,000 to ₹36,000 per month.
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