Wife’s Maintenance Claim Denied After Finding Long Separation by Mutual Consent, ₹2.5 Lakh Settlement Ordered: Jammu and Kashmir High Court

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court and Ladakh High Court delivered an important judgment concerning the right of a wife to claim maintenance under Section 488 Code of Criminal Procedure. The Court held that a wife who has been living separately from her husband for a long period by mutual consent cannot claim maintenance. However, considering the financial condition of the woman, the Court directed the husband to pay ₹2.5…