01Who can claim maintenance in Pune
Maintenance in Pune can be claimed under Section 125 BNSS before the Magistrate, under the Domestic Violence Act, or within matrimonial proceedings before the Family Court. Interim maintenance is commonly decided within one to three months of filing, and is independent of whether a divorce petition has been filed.
There is no fixed percentage, whatever the internet says. Courts weigh the paying spouse's actual income and obligations against the applicant's needs, earning capacity and the standard of living during the marriage. Which means the case turns on what each side can document — salary slips, returns, bank statements, lifestyle evidence — and not on what either side asserts.
Interim maintenance
Applications for maintenance pending the main proceeding, decided early and often the most consequential order in the case.
How it worksMaintenance for children
Claims for children's maintenance, including education and medical costs, which continue regardless of the parents' dispute.
How it worksDefending a claim
Where the amount claimed is unsupported by the record, or income has been overstated, the defence is built on documents.
How it worksEnhancement & enforcement
Varying an existing order where circumstances change, and recovering arrears through execution and attachment.
How it works02How a maintenance claim proceeds
A maintenance claim in Pune typically proceeds as follows:
Income assessment
Both sides' income, assets and liabilities are mapped against the applicant's needs. This determines what figure is realistic before anything is filed.
Week 1Application & interim relief
The application is filed with a request for interim maintenance, so support does not wait for the final hearing.
1–3 weeksAffidavits of assets & income
Both parties file disclosure. Courts increasingly decide maintenance on these affidavits, so accuracy matters more than advocacy here.
1–2 monthsInterim order & final determination
An interim figure is fixed, and the final amount is determined with the main matter or separately.
1–3 months / case-dependent03Documents required for a maintenance claim
Checklist — Maintenance Claims
- Marriage certificate or proof of marriage
- Salary slips and Form 16 for both parties, where available
- Income tax returns for the last three years
- Bank statements for the last twelve months
- Proof of household and children's expenses — school fees, rent, medical
- Details of assets, loans and existing obligations
- Evidence of the standard of living during the marriage
04How quickly maintenance can be obtained
Interim maintenance is realistically decided within one to three months of filing, whether before the Magistrate under Section 125 BNSS or the Family Court in matrimonial proceedings. Final determination follows the main matter and can take one to three years. Because the interim figure often runs for years before it is revisited, it deserves the preparation many parties reserve for the final hearing.
05Common mistakes in maintenance cases
- Quoting a percentage you read onlineThere is no statutory formula. An unsupported figure signals to the court that the claim has not been thought through.
- Understating income to defeat a claimReturns, bank statements and lifestyle evidence are all before the court. Being caught understating income costs credibility on every other issue in the case.
- Accepting an informal arrangementUnrecorded payments are unenforceable and frequently stop. Have any agreed figure recorded in an order or a registered agreement.
- Waiting to claimMaintenance is generally awarded from the date of application, not the date of separation. Every month of delay is a month you do not recover.
06Maintenance lawyer fees in Pune
Every engagement begins with a written understanding of the fee structure — consultation, drafting, appearances — before any work starts. We will tell you plainly at the first meeting what your matter involves, and you will never see a charge we did not explain.
What happens at your first consultation
- You talk, we listen. Bring whatever papers you have, organised or not. There is no form to fill and nothing to prepare.
- We tell you where you stand — including the weaknesses in your position. An advocate who only tells you good news is not advising you.
- You get options, not pressure. Sometimes the honest answer is that you do not need to file anything yet.
- Fees in writing before any work begins, so no invoice ever surprises you.
Everything you say is privileged, whether or not you engage the firm. Consultations are held in Marathi, Hindi or English — in person at Kasba Peth, or over video.
Adv. Indrajit Dongre
Leads this practice, appearing before Pune's courts since 1998. Assisted by Adv. Rasika Kushte and Adv. Amruta Rasal.