Personal Loans or EMIs Are Voluntary Financial Obligations, Do Not Override Husband’s Duty to Maintain Wife: Delhi High Court

In a significant ruling, the Delhi High Court has clarified that voluntary financial commitments such as personal loans, EMIs, or insurance premiums cannot be treated as deductions to avoid paying maintenance to a spouse or child. The Court held that Section 24 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, imposes a statutory obligation on the earning spouse to provide for the dependent spouse and child, which cannot be diluted by citing…