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Mst. Bilkis Begum @ Jahanara v. Majid Ali Gazi And Anr.
Factual and Procedural Background
The appellant, Mst. Bilkis Begum @ Jahanara, initially filed an application before the Magistrate under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr. P.C.) seeking maintenance of Rs. 500 per month each for herself and her two minor daughters from her husband, Majid Ali Gazi (respondent No. 1). During the pendency of this proceeding, the respondent divorced the appellant on 7 February 1992.
Following the divorce, the appellant invoked Section 5 of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986 (“1986 Act”), requesting that the Magistrate apply the maintenance scheme of Sections 125–128 Cr. P.C. instead of the 1986 Act. The Magistrate rejected the request on 27 April 1994, reasoning that an application under Section 5 of the 1986 Act must be made jointly or with the consent of both parties. The High Court, on revision, upheld the Magistrate’s decision. The appellant then filed the present appeal, where leave was granted by the Supreme Court.
Legal Issues Presented
- Whether the Magistrate can entertain and decide the appellant’s Section 125 Cr. P.C. application for maintenance of the two minor children despite the enactment of the 1986 Act.
- Whether the appellant, as a divorced Muslim woman, must seek her own maintenance exclusively under the 1986 Act rather than under Section 125 Cr. P.C.
Arguments of the Parties
The opinion does not contain a detailed account of the parties' legal arguments.
Table of Precedents Cited
| Precedent | Rule or Principle Cited For | Application by the Court |
|---|---|---|
| Noor Saba Khatoon v. Mohd. Quasim |
|
The Court relied on this precedent to hold that the children’s independent right to maintenance under Section 125 Cr. P.C. remains unaffected by the 1986 Act, whereas the divorced wife must proceed under the 1986 Act for her own maintenance. |
Court's Reasoning and Analysis
The Supreme Court examined the scope of Section 125 Cr. P.C. vis-à-vis the 1986 Act, emphasising that:
- The non obstante clause in Section 3(1) of the 1986 Act limits a divorced woman’s right to claim maintenance for herself and for children only up to two years of age, but does not curtail the independent statutory right of minor children to maintenance from their father under Section 125 Cr. P.C.
- The precedent in Noor Saba Khatoon clarified that the father’s obligation to maintain minor children (including unmarried daughters) is absolute until they attain majority or marry, whichever is earlier.
- Therefore, an application filed by the divorced wife on behalf of the minor children under Section 125 Cr. P.C. is maintainable and must be adjudicated by the Magistrate.
- Conversely, the divorced wife’s own claim for maintenance cannot proceed under Section 125 Cr. P.C. after divorce; she must seek relief under the 1986 Act.
Holding and Implications
APPEAL DISPOSED OF.
Directions:
- The Magistrate shall proceed with and decide the Section 125 Cr. P.C. application in so far as it concerns maintenance for the two minor children, applying the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
- The appellant’s personal maintenance claim must be pursued under the 1986 Act.
- The Magistrate is directed to conclude the pending proceedings within four months of receiving this order.
Implications: The judgment reaffirms that the 1986 Act does not abridge minor children’s right to maintenance under Section 125 Cr. P.C., thereby clarifying the concurrent but separate remedies available to divorced Muslim women and their children. No new legal precedent is set beyond reiterating the principles in Noor Saba Khatoon.
ORDER
1. Leave granted.
2. The appellant Mst. Bilkis Begum @ Jahanara, was the wife of respondent No. 1 Majid All Gazi. She filed an application under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr. P.C.) claiming maintenance for herself and for her two minor daughters @ Rs. 500/- per month each. The application was registered as proceeding No. M 71 92. During pendency of the proceeding, the respondent divorced the appellant on 7.2.92. Thereafter, she filed an application under Section 5 of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986, (for short the 1986 Act) stating, inter alia that she prefers to be governed by the provisions of Sections 125 to 128 of the Cr. P.C. instead of the provisions of 1986 Act and sought permission of the magistrate for the purpose. The said application was rejected by the learned magistrate by order dated 27.4.94 on the ground that an application under Section 5 of the 1986 Act, has to be made either jointly or separately by both the parties and an application filed by one of the parties without consent of the other could not be entertained. She carried the matter to the High Court in revision wherein the order passed by the magistrate was confirmed and the revision petition was dismissed. Hence, the grievance of the appellant.
3. On analysis of the arguments placed by learned counsel for the parties, the question that arises for determination is whether the application filed by the appellant under Section 125 Cr. P.C. claiming maintenance for self and for minor children could be considered by the magistrate or she had to seek relief under the 1986 Act. This question was considered by this Court in the case of Noor Saba Khatoon v. Mohd. Quasim., , whereof, this Court interpreting Section 3(1) of the 1986 Act and Section 125 of the Cr. P.C. observed:
"Indeed Section 3(1) of 1986 Act begins with a non obstante clause 'notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force' and clause (b) thereof, provides that a divorced woman shall be entitled to a reasonable and fair provision for maintenance by her former husband to maintain the children born out of the wed lock for a period of two years from the date of birth of such children, but the non obstante clause in our opinion only restricts and confines the right of a divorcee muslim woman to claim or receive maintenance for herself and for maintenance of the child/children till they attain the age of two years, notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force in that behalf. It has nothing to do with the independent right or entitlement of the minor children to be maintained by their muslim father. A careful reading of the provisions of Section 125 Cr. P.C. and Section 3(1)(b) of the 1986 Act, makes it clear that the two provisions apply and cover different situations and there is no conflict, much less a real one, between the two, whereas the 1986 Act, deals with the obligation of a muslim husband vis-a-vis his divorced wife, including the payment of maintenance to her for a period of two years of fosterage for maintaining the infant/infants, where they are in the custody of the mother, the obligation of a muslim father to maintain the minor children, is governed by Section 125 Cr. P.C. and his obligation to maintain them is absolute till they attain majority or are able to maintain themselves, whichever date is earlier. In the case of female children this obligation extends till their marriage. Apart from the statutory provisions referred to above, even under the muslim personal law, the right of minor children to receive maintenance from their father, till they are able to maintain themselves, is absolute."
In paragraphs 10 and 11 of the judgment, this Court summed up its conclusions in the following words:-
"Thus, both under the personal law and statutory law (Section 125 Cr. P.C.) the obligation of a muslim father, having sufficient means, to maintain his minor children, unable to maintain themselves, till they attain majority and in case of females till they get married, is absolute, notwithstanding the fact that the minor children are living with divorced wife.
Thus, our answer to the question posed in the earlier part of the opinion is that, the children of muslim parents are entitled to claim maintenance under Section 125 Cr. P.C. for the period till they attain majority or are able to maintain themselves, whichever is earlier and in case of females, till they get married, and this right is not restricted, affected or controlled by the divorcee wife's right to claim maintenance for maintaining the infant child/ children in her custody for a period of two years from the date of birth of the child concerned under Section 3(1)(b) of the 1986 Act. In other words, Section 3(1)(b) of the 1986 Act, does not in any way affect the rights of the minor children of divorced muslim parents to claim maintenance from their father under Section 125 Cr. P.C. till they attain majority or are able to maintain themselves, or in the case of females, till they are married."
4. From the observations quoted above it is clear that the right of the appellant to claim maintenance for her children from her former husband under Section 125 of the Cr. P.C. is recognized even after the enactment of the 1986 Act. The position is also settled that liability of the father to maintain his minor children and unmarried daughters is absolute and in case he defaults the divorced wife can file'an application under Section 125 of Cr. P.C. claiming maintenance for the children who are living with her.
5. Applying the principles laid down in the aforementioned decided case to the case in hand the position is clear that the application filed under Section 125 of the Cr. P.C.
claiming maintenance for the two children is to be proceeded with by the learned'mag-istrate and disposed of applying the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure. So far as the claim of maintenance for the divorced wife is concerned the proceeding's under Section 125 cannot be proceeded with. She is entitled to receive her dues according to the 1986 Act, and if she has not yet received the same she has to take recourse of the proceedings under that Act, and realize the amount in accordance with law.
6. With the above observations this appeal is disposed of. Since the matter has been considerably delayed, we direct the learned magistrate to dispose of the proceedings expeditiously within four months from the date of receipt of the intimation of this order.
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