Well educated wife with job experience must not remain idle to gain maintenance from husband: Delhi High Court

The court observed it dismissing a plea filed by a wife who challenged a family court order that had turned down her appeal for an interim maintenance.

"….this Court is of the considered view that a well-educated wife, with experience in a suitable gainful job, ought not to remain idle solely to gain maintenance from her husband," Justice Chandra Dhari Singh said as quoted by Live Law.

The wife had submitted that she got her master's degree in 2006, was employed from 2005-2007 in Dubai but didn't pursue any job since then.

The couple got married in 2019 and they immediately left for Singapore.

The wife returned to India in 2021 complaining of cruelty in the hands of her husband and his family.

She also alleged that her husband got her visa revoked, leaving her stranded in Singapore. She claimed she had to sell jewellery to return to India.

Due to financial problems, the woman, as she claimed, started living with her maternal uncle.

The family court had noted that the substantial gap between her last job and the year of marriage shows the complainant gainfully remained unemployed.

The husband cited his wife's high education and job experience to oppose her plea seeking maintenance.

He submitted that the wife's demand for Rs. 3,25,000 as a monthly maintenance amount does not reflect her lifestyle in India.

Not granting interim maintenance to the wife, the court said, "...  this Court encourages the petitioner to actively look for a job to become self-sufficient as she already got wide exposure and is aware of the worldly affairs unlike other women who are not educated and are completely dependent upon their spouses for basic sustenance."