Kerala High Court’s Big Decision: Now, married sons are bound to pay their mother for maintenance
The Kerala High Court has stated that a mother has the right to seek financial support from her children. This right does not depend on whether her husband is alive or earning an income.
This decision came in a case where a 60-year-old woman had sought monthly maintenance from her son. The woman filed a petition in the Family Court, stating that she had no job or source of income and therefore needed financial support from her son. In July 2025, the Family Court ordered the son to pay her Rs 5,000 per month. The woman was not satisfied with this amount and challenged the decision in the Kerala High Court.
On November 4, the High Court upheld the Family Court’s order, maintaining the monthly maintenance amount of Rs 5,000. The court stated that the decision was just and reasonable considering the circumstances of the case. During the hearing, the son argued that his mother earns a living through animal husbandry and that his father, a fisherman who owns a boat, is already supporting her. The son also stated that he has his own wife and child to support and, therefore, should not be burdened with additional expenses.
However, the court rejected all of the son’s arguments. The court stated that no evidence had been presented to prove that the mother earned any income from animal husbandry. The court also remarked that it was wrong and inhumane for a wealthy son to expect his elderly mother to engage in physically demanding labor. Animal husbandry is a physically strenuous job.
The court also clarified that marriage or having a family does not absolve a son of his responsibilities. The court stated that no son can evade his responsibilities simply on the grounds that he is married or has family obligations.
The court also noted that the son works in a Gulf country and earns enough to support his mother. Although he denied earning ₹2 lakh per month, he failed to provide any proof of his actual income.
