The Karnataka High Court has doubled the interim maintenance for a stay-at-home mother from ₹18,000 to ₹36,000 per month, recognizing that caring for children is a full-time responsibility.
Justice M Nagaprasanna dismissed the husband’s claim that his wife was “lazing around” despite being qualified to work. The Court stated that a homemaker and mother works tirelessly, taking on countless responsibilities to ensure the well-being of children, and this cannot be dismissed as inactivity.
The decision came after the woman challenged a family court order that had granted her only ₹18,000 per month as interim maintenance, instead of the ₹36,000 she requested. Her lawyer highlighted that she had quit her job at her husband’s request to look after their children and that her husband, an employee at Canara Bank earning around ₹90,000 per month, was not covering school fees and other expenses.
The husband’s counsel argued that his job was unstable and that the woman could earn her own income, having previously worked as a lecturer. He also claimed that he was responsible for his elderly mother’s care.
However, the High Court found that the husband’s employment with a government-owned bank provided job security and steady income. Citing Supreme Court rulings, the Court stressed that maintenance must match the standard of living the wife and children enjoyed while living with the husband.
Rejecting the husband’s objections, the Court ruled that ₹18,000 was insufficient and increased the maintenance to ₹36,000 per month, affirming that caring for children is an all-day, demanding job that deserves financial recognition.
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