A family court in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, has ordered a woman, who operates a beauty parlour, to pay ₹5,000 per month in maintenance to her husband after their separation. The husband, a Class XII graduate, claimed he was unemployed and financially dependent on his wife.
According to the husband’s lawyer, Aman, a resident of Ujjain, met Nandini through a mutual friend in 2020. Nandini proposed marriage, and despite Aman’s reluctance, they married in July 2021 at Arya Samaj Mandir in Indore. Aman claimed that Nandini and her family began harassing him soon after their marriage and discouraged him from continuing his studies. In September 2021, just two months after the wedding, Aman left and moved back to his parent’s home. Since then, the couple has been living apart.
Aman, aged 23, alleged that his wife Nandini, 22, forced him to drop out of college and prevented him from pursuing a career, while she successfully ran a beauty parlour in Indore. After their separation, Aman filed a police complaint against Nandini’s family, accusing them of harassment. He also sought a divorce and requested maintenance from the family court.
In December 2021, Nandini filed a case of domestic violence against Aman, but during a recent court hearing, she expressed her desire to reconcile and live with her husband. However, the court found contradictions in her statements, as she had initially claimed to be unemployed, while it was established that she was operating a beauty parlour.
Under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, both men and women are entitled to claim maintenance. The court ruled in favor of Aman, ordering Nandini to pay ₹5,000 per month as maintenance to her husband. Additionally, the court directed her to cover litigation expenses. Nandini has indicated her intent to challenge this ruling in a higher court, stating that she withheld certain details during the hearing.
This ruling highlights the legal principle that both genders have the right to claim maintenance under Indian law. In 2020, a public interest litigation was filed in the Supreme Court to establish a gender and religion-neutral framework for maintenance and alimony in India, awaiting a response from the Central government.
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