Before denying maintenance to second wife Husband must prove first marriage
Section 125 of the code of Criminal Procedure is meant to achieve a social purpose.The object is to prevent vagrancy and destitution. it provides a speedy remedy for the supply of food,clothing and shelter to the deserted wife. The term "wife" includes a woman who has been divorced by a husband or who has obtained a divorce from her husband and has not remarried.The woman not having the legal status of a wife is thus brought within the inclusive definition of the term "Wife" consistent with the objective. However,under the law a second wife whose marriage is void on account of the survival of the first marriage is
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not a legally wedded wife and is,therefore,not entitled to maintenance under this provision. Therefore, the law which disentitles the second wife from receiving maintenance from her husband for the sole reason that the marriage ceremony though performed in the customary from lacks legal sanctity can be applied only when the husband sati
https://www.lawweb.in/2012/11/before-denying-maintenance-to-second.html