High Court Upholds Maintenance Rights for Educated Wives

The Allahabad High Court ruled that a woman's qualifications do not negate her right to maintenance under Section 125 of the CrPC. Overturning a family court's decision, the High Court emphasized the challenge educated women face in reentering the workforce and upheld their right to maintenance.

The Allahabad High Court has declared that a wife's qualifications or vocational skills cannot be grounds for denying her maintenance under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). In a landmark decision, Justice Garima Prashad overturned a family court's ruling that rejected a woman's plea for maintenance.

The court emphasized that even highly educated women often face hurdles in joining the workforce due to prolonged domestic responsibilities. It ruled out the husband's argument that his wife's potential to earn diminishes his legal duty to support her financially.

The High Court also highlighted the 'social reality' where domestic duties compel many women to forsake employment opportunities, reaffirming the wife's statutory right to maintenance. It instructed the Family Court, Bulandshahr, to reconsider its decision and issue a reasoned order promptly.

(With inputs from agencies.)