Section 125 – Maintenance for Wife, Children & Parents (CrPC, 1973)

🔹Section 125 – Maintenance for Wife, Children & Parents (CrPC, 1973)

🔹Short Note (Hindi):

Section 125 ek protective law hai jo un logon ke liye bana hai jo apna guzara khud nahi kar sakte — jaise wife, bachche, aur parents.
Agar koi insaan capable hote hue bhi in logon ka khayal nahi rakhta, to court use maintenance (monthly money) dene ka order de sakta hai.

🔹Full Description (English + Hindi):

🔹 Meaning:

Section 125 CrPC ensures that no person is left to starve or live without basic means if their close family member (like husband, son, or father) can afford to support them.
It’s not just a moral duty — it’s a legal obligation.

🔹 Who Can Claim Maintenance:

1. Wife:
   • Agar husband ne wife ko neglect kiya ho ya chhod diya ho bina reason ke, to wife maintenance claim kar sakti hai.
   • Even divorced wife claim kar sakti hai agar wo khud apna guzara nahi kar sakti.
2. Children:
   • Minor children (boy or girl) apne father se maintenance le sakte hain.
   • Major (18+) children sirf tab le sakte hain jab wo physically/mentally disabled ho.
3. Parents:
   • Budhe maa-baap bhi apne earning son ya daughter se maintenance maang sakte hain agar wo apna khud ka guzara nahi kar pa rahe.

🔹 Conditions for Maintenance:

1. Person claiming maintenance unable to maintain themselves ho.
2. Respondent (husband/child/parent) ke paas sufficient means ho.
3. Wo voluntarily apne dependent ko neglect ya refuse kar raha ho.

🔹 Court Power:

• Court monthly maintenance allowance fix karti hai — jiska amount depend karta hai:
  • Accused ki income
  • Claimant ki need
  • Lifestyle aur social status
• Court maintenance amount increase or decrease bhi kar sakti hai future me, agar circumstances change ho jayein.

🔹 Procedure:

1. Application file hoti hai Magistrate of First Class ke samne.
2. Evidence aur documents ke base par Magistrate decide karta hai.
3. Agar accused maintenance pay nahi karta, to warrant issue ho sakta hai, aur jail bhi ho sakti hai.

🔹 Key Judicial Interpretations:

1. Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum (1985):
   Supreme Court ne held kiya – even divorced Muslim woman Section 125 ke under maintenance claim kar sakti hai.
   ➤ Ye case women’s rights ke liye landmark decision tha.
2. Bhagwan Dutt v. Kamla Devi (1975):
   Court ne kaha – husband ka duty hai ki wo apni wife ko basic needs de, chahe uske financial difficulties ho.
3. Abhilasha v. Parkash (2020):
   Court ne clarify kiya – major unmarried daughter ko maintenance mil sakti hai agar wo dependent hai aur apni livelihood earn nahi karti.

🔹 Important Points:

• Maintenance civil right hai, criminal punishment nahi.
• Purpose hai prevent destitution and starvation.
• Maintenance mil sakti hai monthly payment ke form me.
• Agar husband deliberately income chhupata hai, to court uska standard of living dekh kar estimate karti hai.
• Working wife bhi claim kar sakti hai agar uski salary enough nahi hai to survive decently.

🔹 Example:

Ravi ne apni wife aur bachchon ko bina wajah chhod diya. Wife ne Section 125 ke under Magistrate court me application file ki.
Court ne evidence dekh kar order diya ki Ravi har mahine ₹10,000 wife aur ₹5,000 bachchon ko maintenance ke roop me de.

🔹Nyay Neeti Advice:

• Agar aap neglect feel kar rahe ho (wife, child, ya parent), to Section 125 CrPC ke under Magistrate ke samne application file kar sakte ho.
• Hamesha income proof, neglect evidence, aur relationship documents attach karein.
• Maintenance ka purpose revenge nahi, survival aur dignity hai.

🔹Summary Table: