Madras HC Upholds Maintenance Rights of Second Wife and Children, Despite Invalid Marriage

The Madras High Court recently held that even if a marriage was not legal due to the existence of a first marriage, the second wife and the children born out of the second marriage will be entitled to maintenance under Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Justice K Murali Shankar of the Madurai bench was dealing with a revision petition seeking review of an order passed by Family Court, Tirunelveli directing a man to pay a monthly maintenance of ten thousand rupees to his “wife” and their son and to pay the entire arrears of maintenance amount within a month.

The woman had filed the maintenance petition claiming that the man had failed to provide for her and their son, despite being legally obligated to do so. She also alleged that he had demanded a sum of 25 lakh as dowry and when she could not meet the demand, he started avoiding her. She further stated that he was earning a salary of Rs. 50,000 and was also receiving more than Rs.90,000 as monthly rent from the 11 houses he owned.

In response, the man disputed the very marriage and paternity of the child. He claimed that he had married a different woman in 2011 and had a child from that marriage. He further contended that though a divorce petition was filed, the same was dismissed after trial and an appeal against the same is pending.

The man also disputed his salary as claimed by the woman and stated that he was getting only Rs.11,500 in hand and that he had been paying Rs.7000 as maintenance to his first wife and child. Thus, he argued that since there was no marriage between him and the woman and there was no relationship, he was not liable to pay maintenance.

From the documents produced, the court noted that the man’s first marriage was still subsisting. Though the woman had produced the marriage invitation, marriage photo, Birth Certificate of the child etc. to prove the alleged marriage, the court noted that since the first marriage was still subsisting, the second marriage cannot be said to be valid even if proved.

The court also noted that when cell phone records and copies of WhatsApp messages were produced by the woman, the man initially admitted that the messages were sent from his cell phone and subsequently said that he had lost his phone. However, the trial court noted that the messages were sent in 2019 and thus, his submission loses significance. The court also noted that when a question was put forward as to whether he was ready to take a DNA test to prove paternity, he specifically said he was not willing.

Thus, the court was satisfied that the couple were living together as husband and wife and from this relationship, their child was born.

The court also noted that though the man had argued that his salary was only Rs. 11,500, he had not produced any salary certificate or pay slip or any document from the employer to prove his income. Considering the same, the court noted that the trial court’s order of monthly maintenance of Rs 10,000 each for the woman and their child was not excessive. Thus, the court dismissed the petition.

In a recent ruling, the Madras High Court held that even if a second marriage is deemed illegal due to the existence of a prior marriage, the second wife and children born from the second marriage are entitled to maintenance under Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Justice K Murali Shankar of the Madurai bench addressed a revision petition seeking review of an order issued by the Family Court, Tirunelveli, which mandated a man to provide a monthly maintenance amount to his alleged "wife" and their child, along with clearing the arrears. The court observed that despite the ongoing first marriage, evidence suggested that the couple had been living together as husband and wife and had a child. Furthermore, the court noted that the man failed to provide documentation supporting his claimed income, undermining his argument that the maintenance amount was excessive. Consequently, the petition was dismissed.(alert-success)