VIJAYAWADA: A nine-year-old girl has approached the Andhra Pradesh High Court seeking interim maintenance from her father, who is a judge, alleging that he has failed to provide financial support for her upbringing, education and welfare.
Through a petition, the minor requested the High Court to direct her father to pay interim maintenance to her mother or deposit a specified amount before the court pending disposal of the maintenance case.
The girl stated that her mother, Nagalakshmi, had filed a maintenance petition before a court in Ongole in March 2024. She alleged that despite the filing of the main petition and an application seeking interim maintenance, both matters have remained pending for more than one-and-a-half years, causing severe financial hardship to the family.
According to the petition, the child is a Class IV student in Ongole and is entirely dependent on her mother for food, education, clothing, accommodation, healthcare and transportation. She claimed that after the marital relationship between her parents broke down, her mother has been single-handedly bearing all the expenses. The petitioner stated that her father is serving as the Second Additional Judicial First Class Magistrate at Jagtial in Telangana and receives a monthly salary of around Rs 1.70 lakh, apart from allowances. She further alleged that he owns movable and immovable properties but has not contributed towards her maintenance, education or welfare.
The girl sought a direction to pay at least Rs 40,000 per month as interim maintenance to meet her immediate educational, medical and living expenses. She also requested the High Court to direct the Ongole court to conduct day-to-day hearings and dispose of the maintenance proceedings expeditiously.
In her plea, the minor contended that prolonged delays in deciding interim maintenance applications defeat the very purpose of maintenance laws, which are meant to provide immediate relief to neglected wives and children.
She alleged that repeated applications filed by her father, including a plea seeking a DNA test, were delaying the proceedings.
The petitioner urged the High Court to exercise its supervisory jurisdiction and ensure the timely adjudication of the case.
