Maintenance

Yes, maintenance arrears under Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) can be claimed: 

 A magistrate can be approached for up to three consecutive recovery proceedings. 

A civil suit can be filed to recover maintenance arrears once a final order is issued under Section 125. This is because the arrears become a legal debt after the order is issued. 

If a person fails to comply with a maintenance order without a valid reason, the magistrate can issue a warrant for the due amount or impose a one-month jail term. 

Sir,

Past maintenance as in maintenance incurred prior to the date of filing of Maintenance Petition. 

Normally court(s) grant maintenance from the date of filing of application u/s 125 CrPC, but never retrospectively.

After passing an order of maintenance if the judgment debtor do not pay it for the period of 1 year, the decree holder can file execution petition u/o XXI CPC.