Is A Widow Liable To Maintain Parents-In-Law?
The Bombay High Court recently received an appeal filed by a 38-year-old widowed wife that sparked questions on whether or not parents-in-law are entitled to claim maintenance from their widowed daughter-in-law under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
After the death of her husband who was serving as a conductor in the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) started doing a job in the health department for her survival and is presently working at a civic-run Hospital in Mumbai.
The parents-in-law claiming maintenance from their widowed daughter-in-law alleged having no source of income after the death of their son and no one to look after they filed an application for maintenance before the Nyayadhikari Gram Nyayalaya, Jalkot in the state’s Latur District.
The daughter-in-law opposed the claim stating that her parents-in-law have four married daughters living with their husbands and have a share in the property of her parents-in-law. Therefore, the daughters are liable to pay maintenance to the parents.
The claim of maintenance of the parents-in-law has been denied by the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court. It held that senior citizens are not entitled to it.
