Family Law · Maintenance
Maintenance Can Be Enhanced When Circumstances and Cost of Living Materially Change
The Delhi High Court has recognised that a maintenance amount fixed years earlier may require reconsideration where there is a material change in circumstances, including significant changes in income and the cost of living.
What the Court considered
In a 2025 decision, the Delhi High Court treated a significant increase in the husband's income together with a substantial increase in the cost of living as relevant changed circumstances for considering enhancement of maintenance.Maintenance is fact-specific
An enhancement is not automatic merely because time has passed. The court examines the circumstances, financial capacity, needs and other relevant material placed before it.Practical lesson
A party seeking alteration of maintenance should place reliable material showing the relevant change in circumstances rather than relying on a bare assertion that the existing amount is inadequate.This article is for general legal awareness and is not a substitute for legal advice in an individual matter. The law and the cited decision should be checked against the facts and the law in force when advice is given.
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