Nagendrappa Natikar vs Neelamma

The Supreme Court ruled that a compromise under Order XXIII Rule 3 CPC, where the wife agreed to a consolidated amount for permanent alimony and waived future maintenance claims, precludes her from seeking maintenance under Section 18 of the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956. The Court emphasized that the consent given by the wife was voluntary and informed, thus upholding the earlier order dismissing her maintenance claim. The decision reinforces the binding nature of compromises in family law matters, particularly regarding maintenance claims.