Shri.R.S.Vanmeeka Nathan v. Smti.Vijaya Raghavi And ANR

IN THE HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA

[ CIRCUIT BENCH AT PORT BLAIR ] *** CRR/4/2026 (IA NO: CRAN/1/2026) Shri R.S. Vanmeeka Nathan Vs Smti. Vijaya Raghavi and Another Mr. V. D. Sivabalan Mr. Arun S. Kumar ... for the petitioner Mr.Gopala Binnu Kumar ... for the respondents February 05, 2026 [AKB] Item No.8 The learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that the petitioner has been directed to pay Rs. 35,000/- per month to the wife and one child. However, initially the petitioner was directed to pay interim maintenance of Rs. 12,000/- per month to the wife and the said child, but unfortunately the learned Family Court enhanced the amount of interim maintenance allowance to the extent of Rs 35,000/- per month without any cogent reason. He is a Junior Engineer working in Andaman Public Works Department and he has also dependent parents, brother and therefore it is impossible for him to provide an interim maintenance of Rs. 35,000/- per month to the wife and the child.

Mr. V.D.Sivabalan, learned counsel for the revisionist has further submitted that the respondent wife is working and educated lady and therefore she can maintain herself on her own.

The learned counsel Mr. Gopala Binnu Kumar has submitted that initially the learned Family Court directed the

husband to pay a sum of Rs. 12,000/- per month as interim maintenance, since at that point of time the husband did not disclose his actual income. Subsequently on finding that the husband is drawing a monthly salary of rupees more than one lakh, the petitioner herein has been directed to pay a sum of Rs. 35,000 per month as interim maintenance allowance to the wife and her child. Mr. Binnu Kumar has drawn the attention of this Court to the page 4 of the impugned judgement wherein the learned Family Court has mentioned that from the affidavitof-assets filed by the husband it is found that as the Junior Engineer of Andaman Public Works Department the petitioner herein is earning Rs. 1,04,444/-.

After considering the materials on record and also the affidavits-of-assets filed on behalf of the both the parties, I also find that the revisionist is drawing a salary of Rs. 1,04,444/- monthly. It is also found that the respondent wife is earning a sum of Rs. 20,000/- per month from her engagement in a private firm viz., RK Construction Agency. However, as we know that a wife is to live according to the status of her husband, I think that the income of Rs. 20,000/- per month in a private firm RK Construction Agency cannot be said to be sufficient for the lady who is to maintain not only herself but also her child. However, considering all aspects the interim maintenance granted by the learned Family Court is hereby reduced to a sum of Rs. 30,000 per month. The revisionist is directed to pay a sum of Rs. 30,000 per month as the interim maintenance allowance to the his wife and her child with effect from the date

indicated in the impugned order. All other contents in the impugned order shall remain unchanged. Both the parties are directed to appear before the mediator to be appointed by the Member Secretary, State Legal Services Authority after notice. Inform the Member Secretary, SLSA, Port Blair accordingly. With this direction the CRR/4/2026 is disposed of along with all connected application, if any.

(Apurba Sinha Ray, J.)