Supreme Court Upholds Wife's Right to Comfortable Living Amid Divorce

The Supreme Court ruled that a wife is entitled to the same standard of living during divorce proceedings as she would have had in her matrimonial home. This decision overturned a previous high court ruling and restored higher interim maintenance of Rs 1.75 lakh per month for a cardiologist's estranged wife.

The Supreme Court has affirmed that during the pendency of a divorce petition, a wife is allowed the same standard of living she would have experienced in her matrimonial home. This was declared by a bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and P.B. Varale, who enhanced the interim maintenance to the estranged wife of a Kerala-based cardiologist.

The bench restored the family court's decision to grant the wife Rs 1.75 lakh monthly after the Madras High Court reduced it to Rs 80,000. The justices noted that the high court had overlooked key facets related to the husband's income and the appellant's circumstances, such as her unemployment due to marital commitments.

Highlighting discrepancies, the bench pointed out the husband's substantial assets and income sources, which the high court failed to consider holistically. With this decision, the court reinforced the principle that the wife's right to a dignified life must be preserved pending divorce proceedings. The case underscores ongoing dialogues about financial entitlements and fair treatment within matrimonial disputes.

(With inputs from agencies.)