Supreme Court: Divorced man liable to maintain kid till adulthood

New Delhi, December 2

The SC has ruled that the liability of a father to maintain the child continues till the age of majority despite dissolution of his/her parents’ marriage. “Whatever be the dispute between the husband and wife, a child should not be made to suffer. The liability and responsibility of the father to maintain the child continues till the child/son attains the age of majority,” a Bench led by Justice MR Shah ruled on December 1.

The order came on an appeal filed by a woman against the Rajasthan HC’s verdict confirming dissolution of her marriage with an Army officer on the grounds of cruelty and desertion on her part. She had complained that she and her 13-year-old son were not getting maintenance from him. The SC directed him to pay Rs 50,000 per month with effect from December 2019 to the appellant and clear the arrears in eight weeks. — TNS