Citing soaring prices of essential food items, the Gujarat High Court has upheld a lower court’s order asking a man to increase alimony to his wife from Rs 2,500 per month to Rs 3,000.

The petitioner has been identified as Chetan Solanki. He had moved the HC after a subordinate court ordered him to pay Rs 3,000 per month as maintenance to his wife from whom he has sought divorce. Solanki had claimed that his wife had asked for Rs 2,500 as monthly maintenance cost, but the court increased it to Rs 3,000.

Justice R R Tripathi dismissed the petition and observed, “…awarding of an amount of Rs 3,000 is not found to be excessive by any standard, more particularly, looking at the present day market price of essential food articles; potatoes are Rs 22 per kg, sugar Rs 35 per kg, tuver dal Rs 90 per kg, wheat flour Rs 15-18 per kg and lemon Rs 80 per kg.”

The court also pointed out that Solanki's claim that his wife had asked for Rs 2,500 was incorrect. It said his wife’s application in the revisional court states that she had asked a maintenance of Rs 10,000 .

Justice Tripathi observed: “The Court is of the opinion that the petition (of Solanki) is misconceived.”