Section Text
In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,--
"Court of summary jurisdiction" means the Court of a Chief Presidency Magistrate or of a District Magistrate;
"dependants" means such persons as a person against whom a maintenance order is made is liable to maintain according to the law in force in1[the reciprocating territory] in which the maintenance order is made;
2["India" means the territory of India excluding the State of Jammu and Kashmir;]
"maintenance order" means a decree or order, other than an order of affiliation, made by a Court in the exercise of civil or criminal jurisdiction for the periodical payment of sums of money towards the maintenance of the wife or other dependants of the person against whom the order is made;
"prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
"proper authority" means the authority appointed by, or under the law of, a reciprocating territory to receive and transmit documents to which this Act applies; and
3["reciprocating territory" means any country or territory outside India in respect of which this Act for the time being applies by virtue of a declaration under section 3.]
4[*****]
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1 . Substituted for the words "the part of His Majesty's Dominions" by Maintenance Orders Enforcement (Amdt.) Act, 1952 (47 of 1952), section 3 (30-7-1952).
2 . Inserted by Part B States (Laws) Act, 1951 (3 of 1951), section 3 and Schedule (1-4-1951).
3 . Substituted for former definition by Maintenance Orders Enforcement (Amdt.) Act, 1952 (47 of 1952), section 3 (30-7-1952) Ministry of Law and Justice Notification No. GSR645(E) Dated 19.10.2005 stating that Maintenance Orders Enforcement Act,1921 applicable in Respect of Kingdom of Bahrain .
4 . Definition of "States" was omitted by Part B States (Laws) Act, 1951 (3 of 1951), section 3 and Schedule (1-4-1951).