Madhya Pradesh High Court rejects husband’s ‘harassment’ claim over maintenance hike

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ruled against a husband's allegation of harassment related to an increase in maintenance payments to his wife and minor child. The court noted that depriving a wife and child of necessary financial support due to protracted legal proceedings is unjust. In the case of a couple married in Indore since 2013, the wife and son filed for increased maintenance from her husband in 2018.

The family court granted Rs 7,000 monthly for the wife and Rs 3,000 for the son, effective from the filing date. The husband appealed, arguing the retrospective payment would financially devastate him. However, the high court upheld the original order, stating that a wife and child cannot lose their maintenance rights due to lengthy court processes.

It dismissed the husband's claim of harassment, emphasizing that the interim payments made prior to the increase should offset the arrears.