The Section 20 the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956 casts a statutory obligation on a Hindu father to maintain his daughter, who is unmarried and unable to maintain herself out of her own earnings or other property, the High Court of Kerala observed in Gireesh Kumar. N v. Rajani K.V. & Anr.
The father has a moral and legal responsibility to maintain his daughter, who is unmarried, even though she has attained the age of majority.
By virtue of Section 125(1) of CrPC, an unmarried daughter, who has attained majority, cannot claim maintenance in the ordinary circumstance, such as merely on the ground that she does not have means for her sustenance.
However, an unmarried daughter who has attained majority, is entitled for maintenance, if she is unable to maintain herself because of any physical or mental abnormality or injury, based on pleadings and evidence in that regard.
