Q2. Procedure to File a Divorce and Maintenance Case. I am working, and my salary is more than my husband’s. I have a 2BHK flat in Pune and a car in my name. Both the flat and car are loan-free, and every single penny for them was paid by me. The flat was purchased before my marriage. My current salary is ₹1.8 lakh per month, while my husband’s salary is ₹1.6 lakh per month. He also owns a flat in his name and has an outstanding loan of approximately ₹15 lakh. I have a three-year-old daughter. Our marriage is not registered. My husband does not want to take responsibility for my daughter or my expenses. If I have to take care of my daughter individually after the divorce, I want maintenance of at least ₹50,000 per month because if I have to take care of my daughter, I may not be able to continue with my job due to health reasons.

Advocate Sumeet Vankadkar answered:
You can definitely file a maintenance claim, and there may be a possibility of obtaining the amount sought by you, depending on the facts and circumstances of the case. A maintenance claim can also be pursued without necessarily filing for divorce. Your husband may have a legal obligation to maintain you and your daughter, which can be enforced by approaching the appropriate court.