Hindu Adoption Succession

The Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956, regulate the laws pertaining to minority and guardianship among Hindus. It extends to whole of India except for the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Few important definitions under the Act are:

According to Manu, who is revered as the progenitor of mankind in Hindu law, an adult Hindu male is obliged to maintain certain relations, such as aged mother and father, chaste wife and minor son. He is obliged to provide them with maintenance, irrespective of whether he is holds property or not.

The prayer for a son has always been of great importance right from the ancient era. In the same context, the adoption of a son is valid in Hindu law.

After five decades, gender inequalities in the 1956 Hindu Succession Act (1956 HSA) were addressed. The path breaking provisions in the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005 (2005 HSA) covers inequalities pertaining to:

• agricultural land
• Mitakshara joint family property
• parental dwelling house
• certain rights of widows