No Maintenance Under DV Act After Marriage Declared Void: Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court held that once a marriage is declared null and void under Section 11 of the Hindu Marriage Act, it is considered invalid from the very start, absolving the husband of any maintenance obligations.

In this case, the couple married in 2015 but soon faced marital discord. During bail proceedings in related cases, the wife’s prior subsisting marriage came to light. The husband then obtained a decree of nullity, which the wife unsuccessfully challenged.

Despite this, she was awarded interim maintenance under the Domestic Violence Act. The High Court set aside that order, ruling no marital relationship exists once nullity is declared.