Civil Revision No.2921 of 2008 1 IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATES OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH. Civil Revision No.2921 of 2008 Date of Decision:-July 28,2009 Smt.Minakshi Sharma ....Petitioner Versus Sanjeev Bhardwaj ....Respondent CORAM: HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE SURYA KANT 1. Whether Reporters of local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? 2. Whether to be referred to the Reports or not? 3. Whether the judgment should be reported to the Digest? Present: Mr.Ramesh Goyat, Advocate for the petitioner. Ms.Jyoti Sarin, Advocate for the respondent. ORDER Surya Kant, J. (Oral): This revision petition is directed against the order dated 11.2.2008 passed by the Additional District Judge, Chandigarh, whereby on an application under Section 24 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 (hereinafter referred to as “the Act”), the petitioner-wife has been granted Rs.3,000/- per month towards maintenance of the minor child. Civil Revision No.2921 of 2008 2 The parties got married on 15.2.1997. A male child (Sahil Bhardwaj) was born out of the wedlock on 9.8.1998. While the petitioner-wife is employed as a Lecturer in Government Senior Secondary School, Chandigarh, the respondent-husband is a practicing lawyer in the District Courts at Hoshiarpur. The respondent-husband has filed a petition under Section 13 of the Act for dissolution of the marriage. The petitioner- wife moved an application for the grant of interim maintenance, pursuant to which the impugned order has been passed. It is not in dispute that the child is studying in 6th Standard in one of the best schools in Chandigarh, namely, Strawberry Fields School. The petitioner-wife appears to be justified in contending that the monthly expenses being incurred by her on the school fee, maintenance and up-bringing of the child, in the era of high prices, are not less than Rs.10,000/-. Since the petitioner-wife is in Government service, she is not entitled to any maintenance for herself. She is also in a position to equally share the expenses being incurred on the education and/or maintenance of the child. In these circumstances, the trial Court ought to have granted the interim maintenance of Rs.5,000/- per month instead of Rs.3,000/- per month as the respondent-husband is liable to share half of the expenses. The revision petition is, accordingly allowed in part; the impugned order dated 11.2.2008 is modified and the respondent- husband is directed to pay a sum of Rs.5000/- per month for the maintenance of the child. However, having regard to all the attending Civil Revision No.2921 of 2008 3 circumstances, the enhanced interim maintenance is directed to be paid with effect from 11.2.2008 only i.e. when the impugned order was passed by the Additional District Judge, Chandigarh. The arrears shall be paid by the respondent-husband within a period of one month. Disposed of. Dasti. (Surya Kant) Judge 28.7.2009 AS