IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATES OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH. C.R. No. 3951 of 2008. [O&M] Date of Decision: 8th December, 2009. Meenu Goyal Petitioner through Mr. P.S.Khurana, Advocate Versus Subir Goyal Respondent through Mr. Arun Palli, Sr. Advocate with Mr. KVS Kang, Advocate. CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURYA KANT. 1. Whether Reporters of local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? 2. To be referred to the Reporters or not? 3. Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest? SURYA KANT, J. [ORAL) This Revision Petition is directed by the petitioner – wife against the order dated 11.3.2008 passed by learned Additional District Judge, Ludhiana whereby ad-interim maintenance @ Rs.15,000/- per month has been granted to her. Notice of motion was issued and pursuant thereto, learned counsel for the parties have been heard at some length and records perused. The occasion to move an application under Section 24 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 arose for the petitioner – wife as the respondent – husband instituted a petition under Section 13 of the Act for dissolution of marriage, which has since been withdrawn by him. The limited issue that survives for determination is the adequacy of the amount of interim maintenance to which the petitioner was entitled to till the divorce petition was withdrawn. Some of the undisputed facts are that the parties got married on 16.2.1997 and out of their wedlock, two children, namely, Vaibhav [son] and Divija [daughter] were born on 12.9.1998 and 29.1.2001, respectively. Both the children are in the custody of the petitioner – wife and they are stated to be presently studying in Kundan Vidya Mandir at Ludhiana. The respondent – husband has gone abroad and is settled in U.S.A. The pleadings and various affidavits/documents on record would indeed suggest that the parties belong to an affluent section of society and the respondent – husband has sufficient means and resources to maintain his wife and the minor children keeping in view their over-all social status. The interim maintenance of Rs.15,000/- granted by the learned Additional District Judge, therefore, was too meager to meet these basic needs which essentially include providing good education and well-being of the minor children. It needs no reminder that irrespective of the strained relations between the parties, the children deserve to be provided best of the education in congenial environment which must be free from financial constrains or emotional stress so that their over-all growth remains un-affected. This would necessitate sufficient financial support to the petitioner – wife so that the needed amenities are made available to the children timely. She herself deserves to lead a comfortable life matching to the status of the respondent – husband. Considering this era of high prices and cost of living, the amount of Rs.15,000/- awarded by learned Additional District Judge, Ludhiana appears to be too short to meet these expectations. The Revision petition is accordingly allowed in part; the impugned order dated 11.3.2008 is hereby modified and the interim maintenance is enhanced to Rs.35,000/- per month, i.e., Rs.15,000/- for the petitioner – wife and Rs.10,000/- each for the children. However, the respondent – husband shall be liable to pay the arrears of interim maintenance only w.e.f. 11.3.2008 till the date of withdrawal of the divorce petition by him. The arrears shall be paid within two months by way of Demand Draft in favour of the petitioner – wife. This order shall not preclude the petitioner – wife to initiate and/or pursue independent proceedings, if any, initiated by her for the grant of maintenance for herself and her children. Dasti. December 08, 2009. ( SURYA KANT ) dinesh JUDGE