Act Number: 78

Act Name: The Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956

Year: 1956

Enactment Date: 1956-12-21

Long Title: An Act to amend and codify the law relating to adoptions and maintenance among Hindus.

Ministry: Ministry of Law and Justice

Department: Legislative Department

Section 21: Dependants defined.
    For the purposes of this Chapter "dependants" mean the following relatives of the deceased:--
         (i) his or her father;
         (ii) his or her mother;
         (iii) his widow, so long as she does not re-marry;
         (iv) his or her son or the son of his predeceased son or the son of a predeceased son of his pre-deceased son, so long as he is a minor: provided and to the extent that he is unable to obtain maintenance, in the case of a grandson from his fathers or mothers estate, and in the case of a great-grandson, from the estate of his father or mother or fathers father or fathers mother;--
     (v) his or her unmarried daughter, or the unmarried daughter of his predeceased son or the unmarried daughter of a predeceased son of his predeceased son, so long as she remains unmarried:
         provided and to the extent that she is unable to obtain maintenance, in the case of a grand-daughter from her fathers or mothers estate and in the case of a great-grand-daughter from the estate of her father or mother or father's father or fathers mother;
         (vi) his widowed daughter: provided and to the extent that she is unable to obtain maintenance--
             (a) from the estate of her husband; or
             (b) from her son or daughter if any, or his or her estate; or
             (c) from her father-in-law or his father or the estate of either of them;
         (vii) any widow of his son or of a son of his predeceased son, so long as she does not re-marry:
         provided and to the extent that she is unable to obtain maintenance from her husbands estate, or from her son or daughter, if any, or his or her estate; or in the case of a grandsons widow, also from her father-in-laws estate;
         (viii) his or her minor illegitimate son, so long as he remains a minor;
         (ix) his or her illegitimate daughter, so long as she remains unmarried.
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