Delhi High Court: The Single Judge Bench comprising of I.S. Mehta J., decided upon a case related to the Protection of Women against Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (DV Act). The present appeal is from the petitioner husband, aggrieved by the decision of the Metropoliton Magistrate, who ordered him to pay the maintenance to the respondent wife, for maintaining her as well as their child. The same appeal, earlier has been dismissed by the learned Special Judge of the Sessions Court.
The counsel for the petitioner argued that after deducting all the necessary expenditure, a very meagre amount is left, which is much less than the maintenance amount. The counsel also stated that the respondent earlier had a job, which she had intentionally left. The counsel for the respondent on the other hand said that she was unable to maintain herself and her minor child.
The Court observed that the petitioner cannot shy away from his duty to maintain his wife as well as the child, except in the case of denial of existence of marriage and denial of paternity of his minor child. Also the Court said that it is the responsibility of the parents to look towards the education of the child and his status of living within their means. The fact that the spouse, with whom the child is living, has sufficient source of income does not absolve the other spouse from his responsibility to maintain the child. The question whether the respondent, on the day of filing of the application under Section 12 of DV Act, was in domestic relationship is irrelevant and has no affect on granting of monetary reliefs. The Court also said that the decree of divorce does not free the husband from his duty to maintain the wife and the child.
Thus, the Court held that the instant revision petition by the petitioner is dismissed and the order passed by the Special Judge was upheld. Also, it directed the trial court to dispose off the application under Section 12 of DV Act as soon as possible, preferably within a period of 6 months from the date of this judgement. [Sukhjinder Singh v. Harvinder Kaur, 2017 SCC OnLine Del 11621, decided on 10.11.2017]