By S&S Co. Advocates & Solicitors · Published 4 May 2026 · Informational content, not legal advice
About this article: A general explainer prepared by S&S Co. Advocates & Solicitors on a recurring type of dispute. It does not report a specific judgment or order, names no parties and gives no case citation, so it should not be cited as authority. Law and practice change; please verify against the current statute and primary sources before relying on it.
Section 25 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 allows a court passing a decree, or at any time afterwards, to order the husband or wife to pay the other either a gross sum or a monthly or periodical sum for maintenance and support. The court considers the respondent's income and other property, the applicant's income and property, the conduct of the parties and other circumstances.
The factors that courts commonly weigh include the duration of the marriage, the standard of living during the marriage, the age, health and earning capacity of the applicant, the obligations of the paying spouse and property or stridhan already received. In Rajnesh v. Neha (2021), the Supreme Court directed parties in maintenance cases to file affidavits of assets and liabilities to help courts decide on proper figures.
A lump sum brings finality and can avoid later enforcement disputes, but a periodical payment may be suitable where the paying spouse has no capital. An order under Section 25 can be varied if there is a material change in circumstances, and the section also allows it to be rescinded in specified situations, such as the remarriage of the recipient. Courts have also said that alimony is meant to support the recipient and not to punish the other spouse.