High Court Upholds Husband's Obligation to Maintain Wife

The Allahabad High Court has ruled that financial hardship does not excuse a man from maintaining his wife, emphasizing that marriage brings with it the legal obligation of support. Justices Atul Sreedharan and Vivek Saran made this declaration while rejecting a plea by Tej Bahadur Maurya, who challenged a family court's directive to pay interim maintenance.

Maurya's appeal was based on arguments regarding his financial struggles and his wife's alleged cohabitation with another man. He claimed the family court overlooked these issues, as well as a mutual separation through affidavit, when ordering a Rs 4,000 maintenance payment.

The court considered the details of the wife's living and financial conditions, noting her lack of independent income and responsibility for children. It concluded that the maintenance amount was justified given current living costs, and dismissed claims about Maurya's employment status due to insufficient evidence.