Court Says Capable Wife Cannot Sit Idle and Burden Husband for Maintenance
A Delhi court recently ruled that a wife who is educated and physically able to work should not choose to stay unemployed and rely solely on her husband for financial support. The observation came during a case where the husband appealed against a monthly maintenance order of ₹12,000.
District and Sessions Judge Rekha Rani stated,
“The respondent (wife) admitted she is more qualified than the appellant (husband). She is physically fit and capable of earning. Therefore, she cannot be allowed to sit at home doing nothing and financially burden her husband.”
The wife argued that although she holds higher academic qualifications, she was married at a young age, never held a job, and had limited independence, such as not traveling alone.
However, the husband emphasized that his wife has an M.Sc degree and is even a gold medalist. He argued that she never tried to find employment and continued to remain jobless by choice, putting the entire financial load on him.
The court supported the husband’s stance and acknowledged that he agreed to pay ₹12,000 per month to his wife for a period of one year. However, this support is conditional — the court expects the wife to make genuine efforts to find a job during this time.
This judgment reflects a growing view in Indian courts: when a spouse is capable of earning and has access to education and resources, they should actively contribute to their own financial well-being instead of depending entirely on their partner.
