10/29/2016

NCW::ReviewsofLawsrelatingtoWomen

ReviewofLawsandLegislativeMeasuresAffectingWomen
byNationalCommissionforWomen(NCW)
SaturdayOctober29,2016

No.19.TheHinduSuccessionAct,1956(30of
1956)
ExistingProvisions
SuggestedamendmentsbyNCW

ExistingProvision
Section3(1)(j)'related'meansrelatedbylegitimatekinship
Providedthatillegitimatechildrenshallbedeemedtoberelatedtotheir
motherandtooneanother,andtheirlegitimatedescendantsshallbe
deemedtoberelatedtothemandtooneanother,andanywordexpressing
relationshipordenotingarelativeshallbeconstruedaccordingly.
Section3(2):InthisAct,unlessthecontextotherwiserequires,words
importingthemasculinegendershallnotbetakentoincludefemales.
Section4(2):Fortheremovalofdoubtsitisherebydeclaredthat
nothingcontainedinthisActshallbedeemedtoaffecttheprovisionsofany
lawforthetimebeinginforceprovidingforthepreventionoffragmentation
ofagriculturalholdingsorforthefixationofceilingorforthedevolutionof
tenancyrightsinrespectofsuchholdings.
Section6:DevolutionofinterestofCoparcenaryproperty:Whenamale
HindudiesafterthecommencementofthisAct,havingatthetimeofhis
deathaninterestinaMitaksharacoparcenaryproperty,hisinterestinthe
propertyshalldevolvebysurvivorshipuponthesurvivingmembersofthe
coparcenaryandnotinaccordancewiththisAct.Providedthat,ifthe
deceasedhasleftsurvivingafemalerelativespecifiedinclassIofthe
Scheduleoramalerelativespecifiedinthatclasswhoclaimsthroughsuch
femalerelative,theinterestofthedeceasedintheMitakshara,coparcenary
propertyshalldevolvebytestamentaryorintstatesuccession,asthecase
maybe,underthisActandnotbysurvivorship.
Section8:GeneralRulesofSuccessioninthecaseofMalesTheproperty
ofamaleHindudyingintestateshalldesolveaccordingtotheprovisionsof
thisChaptera)First,upontheheirs,beingtherelativesspecifiedinclassI
ofthescheduleb)Secondly,ifthereisnoheirofclassI,thenuponthe
heirs,beingrelativesspecifiedinClassIIoftheschedule.C)Thirdly,ifthere
isnoheirofanyofthetwoclasses,thenupontheagnatesofthedeceased
andd)Lastly,ifthereisnoagnate,thenuponthecognatesofthe
deceased.
Section15:GeneralRulesofsuccessioninthecaseoffemaleHindus:1)
ThepropertyofafemaleHindudyingintestateshalldevolvea)firstly,
uponthesonsanddaughters(includingthechildrenofanypredeceased
sonordaughter)andthehusband,b)secondly,upontheheirsofthe
husband,c)thirdly,uponthemotherandfather,d)fourthly,upontheheirs
ofthefatherande)lastly,upontheheirsofthemother.2)Notwithstanding
anythingcontainedinsubsection1)a)anypropertyinheritedbyafemale
Hindufromherfatherormothershalldevolve,intheabsenceofanysonor
daughterofthedeceased(includingthechildrenofanypredeceasedsonor
daughter)notuponotherheirsreferredtoinsubsection1)intheorder
specifiedthereinbutupontheheirsofthefather.
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Section23:SpecialProvisionrespectingdwellinghouses:WhereaHindu
intestatehasleftsurvivinghisorherbothmaleandfemaleheirsspecifiedin
classIofthescheduleandhisorherpropertyincludesadwellinghouse
whollyoccupiedbymembersofhisorherfamily,then,notwithstanding
anythingcontainedinthisAct,therightofanysuchfemaleheirtoclaim
partitionofthedwellinghouseshallnotariseuntilthemaleheirschooseto
dividetheirrespectivesharesthereinbutthefemaleheirshallbeentitledto
arighttoresidencetherein.Providedthatwheresuchfemaleheirisa
daughter,sheshallbeentitledtoarightofresidenceinthedwellinghouse
onlyifsheisunmarriedorhasbeendesertedbyorhasseparatefromher
husbandorisawidow.
Section30:TestamentarySuccessionAnyHindumaydisposeofbywill
orothertestamentarydispositionanyproperty,whichiscapableofbeingto
disposedofbyhim,inaccordancewiththeprovisionsoftheIndian
SuccessionAct,1925oranyotherlawforthetimebeinginforceand
applicabletoHindus.ExplanationTheinterestofamaleinaMitkshara
caparcenarypropertyortheinterestofamemberofatarwad,tavazhi,illom,
Kutumbaorkavaruinthepropertyofthetarwad,tavazhi,illom,Kutumbaor
kavarushallnotwithstandinganythingcontainedinthisActorinanyother
lawforthetimebeinginforce,bedeemedtobepropertycapableofbeing
disposedofbyhimorbyherwithinthemeaningofthis(section).
SuggestedAmendmentsbyNCW
1.ProvisounderSection3(1)(j)'related'meansrelatedbylegitimate
kinshipwiththefollowing'Providedthatillegitimatechildrenwhose
paternityisknoworhasbeenestablishedshallbedeemedtoerelatedto
theirmotherandfather,andtheirlegitimatedescendantsshallbedeemedto
berelatedtothem,andanywordexpressingrelationshipordenotinga
relativeshallbeconstruedaccordingly'.
2.Section3(2)whichgivesprimacytoamaleandexpresslyexcludesthe
female,shouldbedeleted.
3.tarwad,tavazhi,illom,Kutumbaorkavaru:OverridingeffectofAct
Section4(2)oftheActshouldbedeleted.
4.Section6:Devolutionofinterestofcoparcenarypropertyshouldbe
amendedasfollows:
a. InajointHindufamilygovernedbyMitaksharalaw,thedaughterof
acoparcenershallbebybirthbecomecoparcenerinherownrightin
thesamemannerasthesonandhavethesamerightsinthe
coparcenarypropertyasshewouldhavehadifshehadbeenason
inclusiveoftherightsubjectedtothesameliabilitiesanddisabilities
inrespecttheretoastheson
b. AtapartitioninsuchaJointHindufamilythecoparcenaryproperty
shallbesodividedastoallottoeachchildthesameshare.Provided
thattheSharewhichapredeceasedchildwouldhavegotatthe
partitionifheorshehadbeenaliveatthetimeofthepartition,shall
beallottedtothesurvivingchildofsuchpredeceasedchildProvided
furtherthttheshareallotabletothepredeceasedchildofa
predeceasedsonorofapredeceaseddaughter,ifsuchchildhad
beenaliveatthetimeofthepartition,shallbeallottedtothechild
ofsuchpredeceasedchildofthepredeceasedsonorofsuch
predeceaseddaughter,asthecasemaybe
c. anypropertytowhichafemaleHindubecomesentitledbyvirtueof
theprovisionsofclause(a)shallbeheldbyherwiththeincidentsof
coparcenaryownershipandshallberegarded,notwithstanding
anythingcontainedinthisAct,oranyotherlawforthetimebeingin
force,aspropertycapableofbeingdisposedofbyherbywillor
othertestamentarydisposition.
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NCW::ReviewsofLawsrelatingtoWomen

Toensurethatthedegreesofdescentinrepresentationinthecaseofmales
andfemalesremainequal,theNCWrecommendedthatSection8oftheAct
beamendedasfollows:
'Section8:GeneralrulesofsuccessionThepropertyofaHindudying
intestateshalldesolveaccordingtotheprovisionofthischaptera)Firstly,
upontheheirs,beingtherelativesspecifiedinClassIofthescheduleb)
Secondly,ifthereisnoheirofclassI,thenupontheheirs,beingthe
relativesspecifiedinClassIIoftheschedulec)Thirdly,ifthereisnoheirof
anyofthetwoclasses,thenupontheagnatesofthedeceasedandd)
Lastly,ifthereisnoagnate,thenuponthecognatesofthedeceased'.
Section15:GeneralRulesofSuccessioninthecaseofFemaleHindus
Section15oftheactshouldbedeleted.
Section23:Specialprovisionrespectingdwellinghouses'whereaHindu
intestatehasleftsurvivinghisorherheirsspecififedinClassIofthe
scheduleandhis,orherpropertyincludesadwellinghousewhollyoccupied
byMembersofhisorherfamily,then,notwithstandinganythingcontained
inthisAct,therightsofanysuchheirtoclaimpartitionofthedwelling
houseshallnotariseunitlwidowedmother'srights(incasethedeceasedis
amaleintestate)havebeensettled.
Section30:Testamentarysuccession'AnyHindumaydisposeofbywill
orothertestamentarydispositionanyproperty,whichiscapableofbeingso
disposedofbyhim,inaccordancewiththeprovisionsoftheIndian
SuccessionAtc,1925oranyotherlawforthetimebeinginforceand
applicabletoHindusprovedthatbequestsbeyondonehalfoftheproperty
shallbevoid.
Explanation:TheinterestofamaleinaMitaksharacaparcenaryproperty
ortheinterestofaMemberofatarwad,tavazhi,illom,KutumbaorKarvaru
intheporpoertyofthetarwad,tavashi,illom,kutumbaorkavarushall
notwithstandinganythingcontainedinthisActorinanyotherlawforthe
timebeinginforce,bedeemedtobepropertycapableofbeingdisposedof
byhimorbyherwithinthemeaningofthissection.

Page|INDEX| | |
CopyrightNationalCommissionforWomen,AllRightsReserved.

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