2008 Supreme(Kar) 379
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA
ARALI NAGARAJ
Mallayya - Appellant
Versus
Mahadevi - Respondents
R.P.F.C.No.133 of 2006
Decided On : 06/24/2008
Headnote:CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, 1973 - Sections 125 & 127: [Arali Nagaraj, J] Maintenance to grown up children - Held, In the absence of any statutory provision empowering the Courts to direct the father of such children to provide them with the least minimum facilities required for their maintenance and education, at least up to a certain stage, so as to enable themselves to acquire the ability to maintain themselves, no order whatsoever can be passed by the Courts issuing any kind of direction in this regard. Nothing can be done in favour of such children till suitable amendments are brought by the Legislature to the relevant provisions of law.
(RPFC filed U/S 19 (4) of the family Courts act against the order dated; 16.2006 passed in Crl.Misc.No.22/2005 on the file of the Judge, family Court, Bijapur, partly allowing the petition filed U/s 127 Cr.P.C. for enhancement of maintenance amount.)
The petitioner herein, who is the husband of the respondent No.1 and father of the respondent No.2, has challenged the legality and correctness of the order dated 12.06.2006 passed in Crl.Misc No.22/2005 by the learned Judge, Family Court, Bijapur, enhancing the maintenance payable by the petitioner herein to the respondent No.1 from Rs.300/- to Rs. 1,000/- per month and from Rs.200/- to Rs.800/- per month to respondent No.2.
2. The brief facts of the case is as under:-
(a) Respondent Nos.1 and 2 respectively being the wife and son of the petitioner, filed maintenance petition in Crl.Misc No.37/1992 on the file of the learned J.M.F.C., Basavana Bagewadi, District Bijapur. The Said petition came to be allowed and a sum of Rs.300/-per month and another sum of Rs.200/- per month was awarded in favour of respondent Nos.1 and 2 respectively towards their maintenance. Thereafter, the respondents filed a petition under Section 127 of Cr.P.C. for enhancement of the said maintenance. After considering the legal contentions of the petitioner and respondents on the question of enhancement of maintenance, the Family Court, passed the impugned order, enhancing the maintenance from Rs.300/- to Rs.1,000/- per month in favour of respondent No.1 and Rs.200/- to Rs. 800/- per month in favour of respondent No.2. The correctness of the said order is challenged in this revision petition.
3. Heard the arguments of the learned counsel for both the parties. During the course of argument, Sri. Ashok Kalyanashetty, learned Counsel for the petitioner submitted that he will restrict the revision petition insofar as the impugned order relates to the enhancement of maintenance from Rs. 200/- to Rs.800/- per month in favour of the 2nd respondent, who is admittedly a major son. Learned counsel for the petitioner, placing reliance on the decision of this Court in the case of C. Byraiah Vs.
B. Anasuya & Others reported in 1999 (1) KCCR 128 and the decision of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh in the case of K. Sivaram Vs. K. Mangalamba and others reported in 1990 CRL.L.J 1880 and also the decision of Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of Noor Saha Khatoon Vs. Mohd. Quasim reported in AIR 1997 SC 3280 contended that as provided under Section 125(1)(c) of Cr.P.C., a son, after attaining majority, would not be entitled to claim any maintenance from his father.
4. As against the above contention of the learned counsel for the petitioner, Smt. Vijaya R. Hanumanthgad the learned counsel for the respondents, while supporting the impugned order, submitted, placing reliance on the decision of High Court of Rajasthan in the case of Dr. Jagadish Jugtawat Vs. Manjulata and Ors., reported in I (2001) DMC 605 and also the decision of Hon’ble
Supreme Court in the case of Nanak Chand Vs. Chandra Kishore Aggarwal and Ors., reported in AIR 1970 SC 446, that since the 2nd respondent son, who was minor and was unable to maintain himself as on the date of order of maintenance passed in Crl. Misc.No.37/92, continued to be unable to maintain himself even after attaining the age of majority, the Family Court is quite justified in enhancing the amount of maintenance payable to him by the petitioner father. She further contended that in view of the fact that the 2nd respondent son was granted maintenance when he was minor and he continued to be unable to maintain himself even after attaining the age of majority, he deserves to be further maintained by this father at least till the completes his education as he is still studying in II year of the degree course.
5. It is not in dispute that when the petition was filed in Crl.Misc.No.37/92 before the learned J.M.F.C., Basavana Bagewadi by both the respondents, the second respondent-s