Delhi High Court Confirms Maintenance Obligations in Subsequent Marriages

The Delhi High Court has clarified a significant point in domestic violence law, ruling it does not differentiate between first and subsequent marriages concerning maintenance obligations.

The case involved a man opposing maintenance payments to his estranged second wife, arguing the marriage's second nature and her children from a previous marriage exempted him from obligation.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma declared that once a man marries and accepts his partner with her children, he cannot evade statutory maintenance duties. The ruling supports spousal rights under the Domestic Violence Act, emphasizing statutory responsibilities regardless of marital history.

(With inputs from agencies.)