B.C. Chakrabarti, J.

This is a husband's appeal against an order of maintenance pendente lite and costs of litigation awarded in favour of the wife in a suit for judicial separation brought by the husband, being Matrimonial Suit No. 19 of 1973 of the 5th Court of Additional District Judge at Alipore.

2. The wife filed the application under S. 24 of the Hindu' Marriage Act claiming Rs. 2000/- per month as maintenance pendente lite and a sum of Rs. 2,500/- provisionally towards expenses of the litigation. She alleged that she had no independent, source of income, that she bas been deserted by her husband and was forced to live in her father's family, that the average monthly income of the husband is Rs. 30,000/- per month from his salary and allowances, that besides the said sum he has also other income derived from securities and interest from bank deposits. Having regard to the status of the parties and their living standard and also the financial capability of the husband, she claimed the sum aforesaid towards maintenance and expenses. It was further alleged that she had to incur considerable expenses towards litigation for she has to come all the way from Luknow where she