Section 18 of HAM Act : Section 18: Maintenance Of Wife

Explanation using Example

Here is a hypothetical scenario demonstrating the application of Section 18 of The Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956:

Imagine a woman named Priya, who is a Hindu and has been married to Rohan for several years. Recently, Priya discovered that Rohan has been neglecting her needs and has abandoned her without any reasonable cause, failing to provide for her basic necessities. Priya decides to live separately from Rohan due to his desertion.

Under Section 18(1) of the Act, Priya is entitled to be maintained by Rohan during her lifetime, despite the fact that she is now living separately.

According to Section 18(2)(a), because Rohan has deserted Priya, she has a valid reason to live apart from him without forfeiting her right to maintenance.

If Priya were to convert to another religion, under Section 18(3), she would not be entitled to claim maintenance while living separately from Rohan. However, in this scenario, she remains a Hindu and is not unchaste, so she retains her right to maintenance.