Archive · 27 Jan 2026
CIC Allows Wife Access to Husband’s Income Details for Maintenance
A woman asked for her husband's income details to get maintenance money after they separated.
The Income Tax Department said no at first, but the Central Information Commission (CIC) said yes.
The CIC said the wife can get general income details, but not the full tax returns or personal details.
This is because the information is important for the court to decide how much maintenance the wife should get.
The CIC also said that bank details are different and cannot be shared because they are private and held in a special trust relationship.
The CIC directed the Income Tax Department to disclose generic income details of a husband to his wife for maintenance proceedings.
The wife alleged that her husband was concealing his actual earnings to evade maintenance liability.
The Income Tax Department initially rejected the RTI request, citing third-party personal information under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act.
The CIC ruled that information relating to income does not remain purely personal when sought by a legally wedded spouse for maintenance litigation.
The CIC distinguished between income details and bank-held financial information, stating that the latter is exempt as third-party personal information held in a fiduciary relationship.
- Who
- A wife seeking maintenance and the Income Tax Department
- What
- The Central Information Commission (CIC) directed the Income Tax Department to disclose generic income details of a husband to his wife for maintenance proceedings
- When
- The order was passed recently, with the report dated January 27
- Where
- The case was heard by the Central Information Commission in New Delhi
- Why
- The wife alleged that her husband was concealing his actual earnings to evade maintenance liability, and the CIC ruled that such information cannot be denied on privacy grounds in matrimonial disputes
- Applicant
- Wife seeking maintenance
- Respondent
- Income Tax Department
- Information Commissioner
- Vinod Kumar Tiwari
- Information Sought
- Generic income details of husband
- RTI Act Section Cited
- Section 8(1)(j)
- Key Ruling
- Generic income details can be disclosed for maintenance proceedings
- Exempt Information
- Copies of income tax returns and sensitive personal details