The Indian Majority Act, 1875 with PDF

The Indian Majority Act, 1875

An Act to amend the law respecting the age of majority.

Preamble.

WHEREAS, in the case of persons domiciled in India it is expedient to specify the age of Majority;
It is hereby enacted as follows-

1. Short title.

This Act may be called the Indian Majority Act, 1875.

Local extent, commencement and operation- It extends to the whole of India; and it shall come into force and have effect only on the expiration of three months from the passing thereof.

(The words “except the State of Jammu and Kashmir” omitted by Act 34 of 2019, s. 95 and the Fifth Schedule (w.e.f. 31-10-2019).)

2. Savings.

Nothing herein contained shall affect-

(a) the capacity of any person to act in the following matters (namely)-
marriage, dower, divorce and adoption;

(b) the religion or religious rites and usages of any class of citizens of India; or

(c) the capacity of any person who before this Act comes into force has attained majority under the law applicable to him.

3. Age of majority of persons domiciled in India.

(1) Every person domiciled in India shall attain the age of majority on his completing the age of eighteen years and not before.

(2) In computing the age of any person, the day on which he was born is to be included as a whole day and he shall be deemed to have attained majority at the beginning of the eighteenth anniversary of that day.

4. Age of majority how computed.

In computing the age of any person, the day on which he was born is to be included as a whole day, and he shall be deemed to have attained majority, if he falls within the first paragraph of section 3, at the beginning of the twenty-first anniversary of that day, and if he falls within the second paragraph of Section 3, at the beginning of the eighteenth anniversary of that day.

Illustrations-
(a) Z is born in India on the first day of January 1850, and has an Indian domicile. A guardian of his person is appointed by a Court of Justice. Z attains majority at the first moment of the first day of January 1871.

(b) Z is born in India on the twenty-ninth day of February 1852, and has an Indian domicile. A guardian of his property is appointed by a Court of Justice. Z attains majority at the first moment of the twenty-eighth day of February 1873.

(c) Z is born on the first day of January 1850.He acquires a domicile in India. No guardian is appointed of his person or property by any Court of Justice, nor is he under the jurisdiction of any Court of Wards. Z attains majority at the first moment of the first day of January 1868.

This is it. Indian Majority Act is a tiny act. You can understand almost everything that the act says by one line- “The Majority Act of 1875 states that every person domiciled in India shall attain the age of majority on completion of 18 years and not before.“