Important Sections of Hindu Laws (2021)

Hindu Laws fall under the collective category of personal laws. Hindu Laws comprise 5 different acts, namely the Hindu Marriage Act, Hindu Succession Act, Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, and the Hindu Disposition of Property Act. These are essential for every law exam in India. So to help you prepare better, here is a list of all important sections of Hindu Laws.

Important Sections of Hindu Law

This list of essential sections has been categorised according to different Acts. Hindu Disposition of Property Act, 1916 only has five sections, and thus it has not been included.

Important Sections of Hindu Marriage Act

Section 2 – Application of Act.
Section 3 – Definitions.
Section 5 – Conditions for a Hindu Marriage.
Section 7 – Ceremonies for a Hindu Marriage.
Section 8 – Registration of Hindu Marriages.

Section 9 – Restitution of conjugal rights.
Section 10 – Judicial Separation.
Section 11 – Void marriages.
Section 12 – Voidable marriages. (Difference between Void and Voidable Marriage)

Section 13 – Divorce.
Section 13B – Divorce by mutual consent.
Section 14 – No petition for divorce to be presented within one year of marriage.
Section 16 – Legitimacy of children of void and voidable marriages.
Section 17 – Punishment of Bigamy.
Section 23 – Decree in proceedings.
Section 24 – Maintenance pendent elite and expenses of proceedings.
Section 25 – Permanent alimony and maintenance.

You can read the full Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 here.

Important Sections of Hindu Succession Act

Section 3 – Definitions and interpretations.
Section 5 – Act not to apply to certain properties.
Section 6 – Devolution of interest in coparcenary property.
Section 8- General rules of succession in the case of males.
Section 9 – Order of succession among heirs in the Schedule.
Section 10 – Distribution of property among heirs in Class I of the Schedule.
Section 11 – Distribution of property among heirs in Class II of the Schedule.
Section 12 – Order of succession among agnates and cognates.

Section 14 – Property of a female Hindu to be her absolute property.
Section 15 – General rules of succession in the case of female Hindus.
Section 16 – Order of succession and manner of distribution among heirs of a female Hindu.
Section 19 – Mode of succession of two or more heirs.
Section 21 – Presumption in cases of simultaneous deaths.
Section 25 – Murderer disqualified.
Section 26 – Convert’s descendants disqualified.
Section 29 – Failure of heirs.
Section 30 – Testamentary succession.

You can read the full Hindu Succession Act, 1956 here.

Important Sections of Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act

Section 4 – Definitions.
Section 6 – Natural guardians of a Hindu minor.
Section 7 – Natural guardianship of adopted son.
Section 8 – Powers of natural guardian.
Section 9 – Testamentary guardians and their powers.
Section 11 – De facto guardian not to deal with minors property.
Section 13 – Welfare of minor to be paramount consideration.

You can read the full Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956 here.

Important Sections of Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act

Section 3 – Definitions.
Section 5 – Adoptions to be regulated by this Chapter.
Section 7 – Capacity of a male Hindu to take in adoption.
Section 8 – Capacity of a female Hindu to take in adoption.
Section 9 – Persons capable of giving in adoption.
Section 10 – Persons who may be adopted.
Section 11 – Other conditions for a valid adoption.
Section 12 – Effect of adoptions.

Section 18 – Maintenance of wife.
Section 19 – Maintenance of widowed daughter-in-law.
Section 20 – Maintenance of children and aged parents.
Section 21 – Dependents defined.
Section 22 – Maintenance of dependents.
Section 23 – Amount of maintenance.

You can read the full Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956 here.

Hindu Law for Exams

What you saw above was a list of all the important sections of Hindu Laws. Use it to prepare well for your semester exam or competitive legal exams. If you are an advocate, you have no shortcuts. You will have to be acquainted with the entire Hindu Law bare acts. Now, these important sections are helpful. But make sure you see your exam syllabus carefully and do not skip any essential parts. Also, most Hindu Law Acts are small. Definitely read them two or three times from start to end.