Uniform maintenance format: SC seeks centre's response

The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the Centre on a plea for formulating a uniform format for disclosing information by husband and wife before the family court, for granting maintenance in matrimonial disputes.

A bench of Justices Indu Malhotra and R Subhash Reddy issued notices to the Ministry of Social Justice, Ministry of Women and Child Development and National Legal Services Authority while tagging the matter with a similar petition.

The top court also asked senior advocates Gopal Shankarnayan and Anitha Shenoy, who have been appointed as amicus curie in the matter, to give their suggestions for finalising the model affidavit to be given by both spouses for determining the quantum of maintenance to be given by the husband.

A PIL filed by NGO Citizen Rights Trust, filed through its General Secretary and advocate Sneha Kalita, sought a pan India uniform format of filing affidavit by both spouses for disclosing their source of income and other relevant details in matrimonial disputes, to ascertain the maintenance claimed by the spouse.

This would be helpful for expeditious hearing and disposal of maintenance applications related to matrimonial cases, it said.