20 exam-style questions on this chapter, written from the actual legal text and tagged for UPSC, Judiciary and CLAT. Five are shown below with answers and explanations — the rest are in the free interactive drill.
Q1 · easy · BNSS S.144
Who is empowered by Section 144 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 to order a person to make a monthly allowance for maintenance under the section?
- A.Sub-divisional Magistrate
- B.Magistrate of the first class✓ correct
- C.Sessions Judge
- D.Any Judicial Magistrate
Why: Section 144(1) expressly provides that a Magistrate of the first class may, upon proof of neglect or refusal, order such person to make a monthly allowance for maintenance. No other judicial officer is named in the provision.
Read Section 144 — Order for maintenance of wives, children and parents →Q2 · easy · BNSS S.144
Which of the following best describes who is included within the term “wife” for the purposes of this Chapter?
- A.Only a legally married spouse
- B.A woman separated by mutual consent
- C.A woman who has been divorced by, or has obtained a divorce from, her husband and has not remarried✓ correct
- D.Any live-in partner
Why: The Explanation to Section 144 states that for the purposes of the Chapter, “wife” includes a woman who has been divorced by, or has obtained a divorce from, her husband and has not remarried. The provision does not define “wife” to include live-in partners or persons separated by mutual consent.
Read Section 144 — Order for maintenance of wives, children and parents →Q3 · medium · BNSS S.144
Under the proviso to Section 144(1), when may the Magistrate order the father of a female child referred to in clause (b) to make allowance until she attains majority?
- A.If the Magistrate is satisfied that the husband of such female child, if married, is not possessed of sufficient means✓ correct
- B.Only if the father is the child's natural guardian
- C.Only if the child's mother is deceased
- D.Only if the female child is married
Why: The first proviso to Section 144(1) states that the Magistrate may order the father of a female child referred to in clause (b) to make such allowance until she attains majority if the Magistrate is satisfied that the husband of such female child, if married, is not possessed of sufficient means. Other conditions listed in the distractors are not present in the proviso.
Read Section 144 — Order for maintenance of wives, children and parents →Q4 · medium · BNSS S.144
By what time, as far as possible, must an application for interim maintenance and expenses of proceeding under the second proviso to Section 144(1) be disposed of from the date of service of notice of the application?
- A.Within 30 days from service of notice
- B.Within 90 days from service of notice
- C.No fixed timeline specified
- D.Within 60 days from service of notice✓ correct
Why: The second proviso to Section 144(1) directs that an application for interim maintenance and expenses of proceeding shall, as far as possible, be disposed of within sixty days from the date of the service of notice of the application. Thus the provision specifies a 60-day target period.
Read Section 144 — Order for maintenance of wives, children and parents →Q5 · hard · BNSS S.144
A husband offers to maintain his wife on the condition that she lives with him; she refuses to live with him because he has contracted marriage with another woman. Can the Magistrate nevertheless make an order for maintenance under Section 144?
- A.No — the Magistrate must refuse because the husband offered maintenance on condition of cohabitation
- B.Yes — the Magistrate may make an order notwithstanding the offer if satisfied there is just ground for her refusal (e.g., husband married another woman)✓ correct
- C.Only if the wife is not living in adultery
- D.Yes — but only if they are living separately by mutual consent
Why: Section 144(3) proviso allows the Magistrate to consider grounds of the wife's refusal to live with the husband and ‘‘may make an order notwithstanding such offer, if he is satisfied that there is just ground for so doing.’’ The Explanation to the same sub-section gives as an example that a husband contracting marriage with another woman is to be considered just ground for the wife's refusal.
Read Section 144 — Order for maintenance of wives, children and parents →15 more questions on Order For Maintenance Of Wives, Children And Parents
Drill them interactively — instant feedback, links to every provision, and your accuracy tracked on the syllabus map. Free.
Start the free drill →Questions are AI-generated from the legal text, machine-verified against the provision, and editorially reviewable. Education, not legal advice.