High Court Partly Allows Husband's Revision Petition in Maintenance Case Under Family Courts Act and CrPC -- Maintenance Reduced from Rs.4,000 to Rs.2,500 Per Month Due to Husband's Financial Constraints and Responsibilities Towards Daughter and Parents

Sub Category: Karnataka High Court Bench: BENGALURU
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Case Note & Summary

The High Court of Karnataka heard a revision petition filed by the husband against a Family Court order awarding Rs.4,000 per month as maintenance to his wife under Section 125 CrPC. The husband argued that his monthly income was only Rs.10,000, and he had to support his daughter (pursuing MCA) and aged parents, making Rs.4,000 unaffordable. The wife contended that Rs.4,000 was insufficient for her needs. The Court reviewed Ex.R8 Salary Certificate, confirming the husband's income as Rs.10,000 per month, correcting the Family Court's erroneous observation of Rs.21,000. Balancing the wife's need for maintenance with the husband's financial responsibilities, the Court reduced the maintenance to Rs.2,500 per month, holding that the husband's constraints justified a lower award. The revision petition was partly allowed, modifying the Family Court's order.

Headnote

The High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru, in a revision petition filed under Section 19(4) of the Family Courts Act, 1984, against an order dated 19.11.2024 in Criminal Miscellaneous Case No.91/2023, partly allowed the petition under Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC) -- The Family Court had directed the husband to pay Rs.4,000 per month as maintenance to the wife -- The husband, aggrieved by this order, filed a revision petition arguing that the amount was exorbitant given his monthly income of Rs.10,000 and responsibilities towards his daughter and aged parents -- The wife contended that Rs.4,000 was insufficient for her maintenance -- The High Court examined the evidence, including Ex.R8 Salary Certificate, which showed the husband's salary as Rs.10,000 per month, not Rs.21,000 as erroneously observed by the Family Court -- Considering the husband's financial constraints, including educational expenses for his daughter pursuing MCA and support for his parents, the Court held that he could only afford Rs.2,500 per month -- The Court reduced the maintenance from Rs.4,000 to Rs.2,500 per month, emphasizing the need to balance the wife's maintenance needs with the husband's ability to pay

Issue of Consideration: The Issue of Consideration was whether the maintenance amount of Rs.4,000 per month awarded by the Family Court was justified given the husband's financial constraints and responsibilities, including supporting his daughter and parents

Final Decision

The High Court partly allowed the revision petition, reducing the maintenance amount from Rs.4,000 to Rs.2,500 per month, payable by the husband to the wife

2026 LawText (KAR) (01) 44

RPFC No. 57 of 2025

2026-01-20

Dr. Justice Chillakur Sumalatha

HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3038

Sri Kulkarni Malhar Balkrishna, Sri G. V. Narasimha Murthy

Mr. R. Dadapeer

Mrs. Nasreen Banu

Nature of Litigation: Revision petition against a Family Court order awarding maintenance to the wife under Section 125 CrPC

Remedy Sought

The husband sought reduction of the maintenance amount from Rs.4,000 to a lower sum due to financial constraints

Filing Reason

The husband filed the revision petition under Section 19(4) of the Family Courts Act, aggrieved by the Family Court's order dated 19.11.2024 in Criminal Miscellaneous Case No.91/2023

Previous Decisions

The Family Court, Davanagere, partly allowed the wife's petition under Section 125 CrPC and directed the husband to pay Rs.4,000 per month as maintenance

Issues

Whether the maintenance amount of Rs.4,000 per month awarded by the Family Court was justified considering the husband's financial capacity and responsibilities

Submissions/Arguments

The husband argued that his monthly income was Rs.10,000, and he had to support his daughter and parents, making Rs.4,000 unaffordable -- The wife contended that Rs.4,000 was insufficient for her maintenance needs and that the husband could pay it

Ratio Decidendi

The court held that maintenance under Section 125 CrPC must be determined by balancing the wife's need for sustenance with the husband's financial capacity and responsibilities, including dependents like children and parents -- Evidence of income, such as salary certificates, is critical in assessing ability to pay -- A wife cannot claim maintenance regardless of the husband's circumstances when he is overburdened with other obligations

Judgment Excerpts

The Court held that 'the fact that has to be considered more than that is whether the husband has got such financial capability to pay such amount of Rs.4,000/- to the wife as maintenance' -- The Court held that 'considering the constraints and responsibilities of the husband and his earnings, this Court is of the view that he can only be directed to pay a sum of Rs.2,500/- per month towards maintenance'

Procedural History

The wife filed a petition under Section 125 CrPC seeking maintenance of Rs.25,000 per month -- The Family Court, Davanagere, in Criminal Miscellaneous Case No.91/2023 dated 19.11.2024, directed the husband to pay Rs.4,000 per month -- The husband filed a revision petition under Section 19(4) of the Family Courts Act in RPFC No. 57 of 2025 -- The High Court heard the revision petition and passed the order on 20.01.2026

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