Can’t ‘dilute’ duty to ex-wife: Jharkhand High Court grants Rs 20 lakh permanent alimony

The Jharkhand High Court has ruled that a husband cannot diminish his responsibility to maintain his wife, even if she resides with her parents or possesses the means to support herself. The decision came after a 13-year legal battle between a couple who married in 2003 and divorced in 2016. The wife, now 47 years old, filed an appeal challenging her husband's claim that their marriage was void due to his remarriage.

The court emphasized that the husband has a primary duty to provide for his wife, particularly if she is not earning independently. The court rejected the husband's argument, citing his monthly salary of around Rs 47,498 and his monthly take-home pay of Rs 34,372. Considering the wife's age, lack of income, and financial obligations, the court concluded that a permanent alimony of Rs 20 lakh would be a fair and reasonable settlement.