#Section 24

The Supreme Court ruled that Provident Fund and ESPP contributions cannot be treated as compulsory deductions when determining net income for maintenance under HMA Sections 24 and 26. The Court enhanced monthly child maintenance to Rs.1.25 lakh and granted the wife Rs.30,000 for cancer treatment, ordering compliance within three months.

The ITAT Delhi has ruled that maintenance charges collected by a realty company from tenants constitute business income under the Income Tax Act, not income from house property. This allows the assessee to claim full deductions under Section 37, significantly impacting real estate firms that bundle maintenance fees with rentals and altering how such income is reported and taxed across the sector.