TOP LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS THIS WEEK [20-26 July, 2026] | From the Education Minister’s Resignation to Children’s Fundamental Right to Play
A quick roundup to cover all the important legal developments and cases this week.
maintenance
Wife who obtained custody asserting financial capacity cannot burden husband alone with minor’s maintenance: Allahabad HC
The Court noted that the wife had herself obtained custody of the minor daughter on the specific assertion that she was financially capable of maintaining and taking proper care of her.
A Settlement’s Liberty Clause Does Not Give Unlimited Licence to Revive the Same DV Complaint before the Same Court on the Same Grounds: Saket District Court
The Court stated that permitting restoration on substantially the same allegations would defeat the finality of the earlier judicial orders and result in repetitive litigation.
Lok Adalat Cannot Grant Divorce, Minor’s Property and Probate After 27 Years: Everything That Happened in Family and Personal Law in June 2026
The June Roundup of Family and Personal Law contains important rulings and judgements from the Courts all over, on marriage, divorce, maintenance, child custody, probate and mutation proceedings.
“Parents Who Solemnise Child Marriages Cannot Escape Liability”: MP High Court Tells Husband to Seek Recourse from Them, Enhances Wife’s Maintenance Threefold
Disclaimer: This has been reported after the availability of the order of the Court and not on media reports so as to
Family Law May 2026 Roundup: SC Expunges Cruelty Findings Against Dentist Wife; Courts Also Address Ardhangini Guardianship, Void Marriage Pension, Child Marriage Gaps and More
Explore the key family law developments of May 2026, featuring significant decisions of the Supreme Court and various High Courts on maintenance, matrimonial rights, residence disputes, child marriage, guardianship, divorce, succession and child custody.
“Father can’t discriminate between educational expenses of son and daughter”: MP HC enhances maintenance granted to government servant’s wife and daughter
The Court stated that if the husband was bearing substantial expenses for the technical education of the major son, the same could not be a ground to restrict reasonable maintenance and educational support to the minor daughter.
Can arrears of maintenance, being property of the wife, devolve on the husband after wife’s death? Madras High Court answers
Madras High Court said that after divorce when the spouses have ceased to be husband and wife, proprietary right of both the spouses also get affected.
Frame guidelines for providing adequate number of toilets and sanitary napkins dispenser facilities to girls in schools: Patna High Court
The Patna High Court opined that when guidelines for providing toilets and sanitary napkin dispenser facilities for girls in schools were issued, the District Administration or the local bodies could be entrusted with the establishment and maintenance of such facilities in a seamless manner.
‘Husband has moral and legal liability to maintain wife, even if he is a professional bagger’: Punjab and Haryana High Court
Keeping regard with the trend of rising prices and the basic needs getting costlier, the Punjab and Haryana High Court said that maintenance awarded by the Trial Court could not be said to be on a higher side.
Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas advises State Bank of India in granting financial assistance to Torrent Power Limited for an amount aggregating to INR 1200 Crore
Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. advised State Bank of India in granting financial assistance by way of a rupee term loan facility
“S. 12 is heart and soul of Domestic Violence Act”; Karnataka High Court directs Magistrates to decide applications within the mandated period of 60 days
In a clinical dissection of the Domestic Violence Act, 2005, the Karnataka High Court stated that the victims’ grievances such as maintenance or shelter etc., must be addressed with immediacy, which is why the legislation has mandated a specific time frame.
Highlighting the Key Issues Faced by Tech Innovators While Protecting their IPs in India
by Anirudh Swami† and Rishabh Manocha††
Only unmarried major daughter, unable to maintain herself, can claim maintenance under HAMA; Benefit not extended to all unmarried daughters: Kerala High Court
Kerala High Court denied the grant of maintenance to an unmarried Hindu major daughter as she could not prove any disability as required under Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956
2022: The year of 1263 judgments; 3 CJIs; and important firsts| An all inclusive Supreme Court roundup
With 1263 judgments delivered; three Chief Justices of India taking turns to lead the judiciary; a number of judges retiring and a
Kerala High Court| Section 31 of Domestic Violence Act only applies to breach to protection orders; No penalty can be imposed for failure to pay maintenance
Kerala High Court held that Section 31 of D.V Act would apply only on violation of protection order passed under Section 20 of the D.V Act.
Can a wife claim maintenance under S. 125, CrPC after obtaining a maintenance order in her favour under DV Act? Bombay HC answers
Bombay High Court: In a case where simultaneous maintenance claims were under different enactments, S.G. Mehare, J., held that mere
Refusal to maintain senior citizen not a ground for cancellation of Gift or Release deed in absence of specific condition for providing maintenance: SC
“When a senior citizen parts with his or her property by executing a gift or a release or otherwise in favour of his or her near and dear ones, a condition of looking after the senior citizen is not necessarily attached to it.”
Family Courts are reluctant to release maintenance amount and unwantedly insist for release orders; Kerala High Court directs Family Courts to release the arrears of maintenance
Kerala High Court: In a case filed seeking the release of maintenance amount as in the instant set of facts