Skip to main content

Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita

Section 146

Alteration in allowance

Quick Answer Reference: Section 146 BNSS

  • Provision: Section 146 of BNSS
  • Act: Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita
  • Classification: ORDER FOR MAINTENANCE OF WIVES, CHILDREN AND PARENTS
  • Jurisdiction: India
  • Summary: This section allows a Magistrate to change the amount of monthly allowance for maintenance or interim maintenance based on changes in circumstances or court decisions.
Statutory Content

What does Section 146 of BNSS say?

(1) On proof of a change in the circumstances of any person, receiving, under section 144 a monthly allowance for the maintenance or interim maintenance, or ordered under the same section to pay a monthly allowance for the maintenance, or interim maintenance, to his wife, child, father or mother, as the case may be, the Magistrate may make such alteration, as he thinks fit, in the allowance for the maintenance or the interim maintenance, as the case may be. (2) Where it appears to the Magistrate that in consequence of any decision of a competent Civil Court, any order made under section 144 should be cancelled or varied, he shall cancel the order or, as the case may be, vary the same accordingly. (3) Where any order has been made under section 144 in favour of a woman who has been divorced by, or has obtained a divorce from, her husband, the Magistrate shall, if he is satisfied that— (a) the woman has, after the date of such divorce, remarried, cancel such order as from the date of her remarriage; (b) the woman has been divorced by her husband and that she has received, whether before or after the date of the said order, the whole of the sum which, under any customary or personal law applicable to the parties, was payable on such divorce, cancel such order,— (i) in the case where such sum was paid before such order, from the date on which such order was made; (ii) in any other case, from the date of expiry of the period, if any, for which maintenance has been actually paid by the husband to the woman; (c) the woman has obtained a divorce from her husband and that she had voluntarily surrendered her rights to maintenance or interim maintenance, as the case may be, after her divorce, cancel the order from the date thereof. (4) At the time of making any decree for the recovery of any maintenance or dowry by any person, to whom a monthly allowance for the maintenance and interim maintenance or any of them has been ordered to be paid under section 144, the Civil Court shall take into account the sum which has been paid to, or recovered by, such person as monthly allowance for the maintenance and interim maintenance or any of them, as the case may be, in pursuance of the said order.

Indian StandardSection 146, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita
Bluebook (21st ed.)Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, § 146 (India)
Court Pleading StandardSection 146 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita
Canonical Web linkhttps://nyaya.cloud/acts/bharatiya-nagarik-suraksha-sanhita/146

Embed this Section Card

Want to display this Section explanation card on your website? Copy and paste the HTML code below:

Source: Gazette of India (Official Publication)Verify egazette.gov.in ↗
✓ VERIFIED FOR LEGAL ACCURACYReviewed & certified by Advocate Arjun Choudhury (Bar Council ID: D/8734/2015).
AI Educational GuideAI-generated explanation for educational and research purposes. Original statutory text is preserved exactly.
Section Meaning & Purpose

What does Section 146 of BNSS mean?

Plain English Explanation

This section allows a Magistrate to change the amount of monthly allowance for maintenance or interim maintenance based on changes in circumstances or court decisions.

Practical Interpretation

In practice, this section enables the Magistrate to review and adjust maintenance orders in response to new information or changes in the parties' circumstances, ensuring the orders remain fair and relevant.

Core Legal Purpose

The core purpose of this section is to provide a mechanism for adjusting maintenance orders to reflect changes in circumstances, ensuring that the orders remain effective and just.

Key Legal Elements
  • A change in circumstances of the person receiving or paying the monthly allowance.
  • A decision by a competent Civil Court that affects the maintenance order.
  • The Magistrate's discretion to make alterations as they think fit.
  • The requirement for the Magistrate to cancel or vary the order in certain circumstances, such as the woman's remarriage or receipt of a divorce settlement.
Practical Example

Practical Example of Section 146 BNSS

For example, if Rajesh is ordered to pay a monthly allowance to his ex-wife, Priya, under Section 144, and Priya later remarries, the Magistrate may cancel the order under Section 146(3)(a). Alternatively, if Amit's financial circumstances change significantly, the Magistrate may adjust the amount of maintenance he is required to pay to his child under Section 146(1).

Common Questions (FAQ)

Frequently Asked Questions about Section 146 BNSS

Q: What is the consequence under Section 146 of BNSS?

This section is a procedural provision and does not prescribe a penal punishment. The consequences are limited to the alteration, cancellation, or variation of the maintenance order.

Q: Does this section apply to private individuals or public entities?

This section applies to private individuals, specifically those who are parties to a maintenance order under Section 144.

Q: Is an offence under this section bailable or cognizable?

This section is not related to criminal offences, and therefore, the concepts of bailable or cognizable do not apply.

People Also Ask (PAA)

Common Questions about Section 146 BNSS

What is Section 146 of BNSS?

Section 146 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) defines and regulates "Alteration in allowance". In plain terms: This section allows a Magistrate to change the amount of monthly allowance for maintenance or interim maintenance based on changes in circumstances or court decisions.

What is the punishment under Section 146 of BNSS?

Section 146 of BNSS does not prescribe a specific criminal punishment, or it is a procedural provision.

Is Section 146 of BNSS bailable or non-bailable?

Whether Section 146 of BNSS is bailable or non-bailable depends on the schedule classification.

What are the elements of Section 146 of BNSS?

The essential elements of Section 146 of BNSS are: A change in circumstances of the person receiving or paying the monthly allowance.; A decision by a competent Civil Court that affects the maintenance order.; The Magistrate's discretion to make alterations as they think fit..

Landmark Case Laws

Landmark Judgments under Section 146 BNSS

Patnahcucisdb94 High Court (10 8)

Patnahcucisdb94 High Court (10 8)

Patnahcucisdb94 High Court (10 8)

Patnahcucisdb94 High Court (10 8)

Patnahcucisdb94 High Court (10 8)