law: Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956 
  23. Amount of maintenance 
  (1) It shall be in the discretion of the court to determine
  
  whether any, and if so what, maintenance shall be awarded under the provisions
  
  of this Act, and in doing so the court shall have due regard to the
  
  considerations set out in sub-section (2), or sub-section (3), as the case may
  
  be, so far as they are applicable.
  (2) In determining the amount of maintenance, if any, to be
  
  awarded to a wife, children or aged or infirm parents under this Act, regard
  
  shall be had to- 
  (a) the position and status of the parties;
  (b) the reasonable wants of the claimant;
  (c) if the claimant is living separately, whether
  
  the claimant is justified in doing so;
  (d) the value of the claimant's property and
  
  any income derived from such property, or from the claimant's own earnings or
  
  from any other source;
  (e) the number of persons entitled to
  
  maintenance under this Act.
  (3) In determining the amount of maintenance, if any, to be
  
  awarded to a dependant under this Act, regard shall be had to- 
  (a) the net value of the estate of the
  
  deceased after providing for the payment of his debts;
  (b) the provision, if any, made under a will
  
  of the deceased in respect of the dependant;
  (c) the degree of relationship between the
  
  two;
  (d) the reasonable wants of the dependant;
  (e) the past relations between the dependant
  
  and the deceased;
  (f) the value of the property of the dependant
  
  and any income derived from such property; or from his or her earnings or from
  
  any other source;
  (g) the number of dependants entitled to
  
  maintenance under this Act.