Archive · 2 Jan 2026
HC Says Maintenance Amount Can't Be Determined Precisely
The Delhi High Court recently increased the monthly maintenance amount a woman receives from her husband.
The court said that deciding the exact amount isn't like doing math because it's hard to know exactly how much the husband earns, especially since he lives and works in the US.
The court also said that just because the husband earns money in dollars doesn't mean the wife can automatically get that same amount in rupees.
The court looked at things like the husband's job, where he lives, and how much he might need to spend.
In the end, they decided the wife should get Rs 1 lakh per month instead of the earlier Rs 50,000.
Delhi High Court enhanced a woman's interim maintenance from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh per month.
The court stated that maintenance amounts cannot be determined with mathematical precision.
The husband is a software engineer employed by Amazon.com Services LLC in the US.
The wife is unemployed and claimed the husband earns approximately Rs 1.76 crore per annum.
The court considered the husband's foreign income, expenses, and the cost of living in the US.
- Who
- Delhi High Court, Justice Amit Mahajan, a woman and her husband
- What
- Enhancement of interim maintenance amount
- When
- Order dated December 23, 2023
- Where
- Delhi High Court
- Why
- To determine a reasonable interim maintenance amount based on available material and circumstances
- Court
- Delhi High Court
- Judge
- Justice Amit Mahajan
- Original Maintenance Amount
- Rs 50,000 per month
- Enhanced Maintenance Amount
- Rs 1 lakh per month
- Husband's Employer
- Amazon.com Services LLC
- Husband's Position
- Software Engineer
- Husband's Residence
- US
- Wife's Employment Status
- Unemployed