THE HINDU SUCCESSION ACT, 1956

ACT NO. 30 OF 1956

[17th June, 1956.]

An Act to amend and codify the law relating to intestate succession among Hindus.

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Seventh Year of the Republic of India as follows:-

CHAPTER I

PRELIMINARY

1. Short title and extent.

1.(1)Short title and extent. This Act may be called the Hindu Succession Act, 1956.

(2) It extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir.

2. Application of Act.

2.(1)Application of Act. This Act applies-

(a) to any person, who is a Hindu by religion in any of its forms or developments,
including a Virashaiva, a Lingayat or a follower of the Brahmo, Prarthana or Arya Samaj,

(b) to any person who is a Buddhist, Jaina or Sikh by religion, and

(c) to any other person who is not a Muslim, Christian, Parsi or Jew by religion,
unless it is proved that any such person would not have been governed by the Hindu law or
by any custom or usage as part of that law in respect of any of the matters dealt with herein
if this Act had not been passed.

Explanation. The following persons are Hindus, Buddhists, Jainas or Sikhs by religion,
as the case may be: -

(a) any child, legitimate or illegitimate, both of whose parents are Hindus,
Buddhists, Jainas or Sikhs by religion;

(b) any child, legitimate or illegitimate, one of whose parents is a Hindu, Buddhist,
Jaina or Sikh by religion and who is brought up as a member of the tribe, community, group
or family to which such parent belongs or belonged;

(c) any person who is a convert or reconvert to the Hindu, Buddhist, Jaina or Sikh
religion.

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1 Amtt. in Kerala by Kerla Acts 28 of 1958, 16 of 1961.
2 Extended to and brought into force in Dadra and Nagar Haveli (w.e.f. 1-7-65) by Reg.
6 of 1963 s.2 and Sch. I.

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 3 The Act comes into force in Pondicherry on 1.10.1963 with modifications vide Reg.
7 of 1963, s.3 and SCh. I.
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(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), nothing contained in

this Act shall apply to the members of any Scheduled Tribe within the meaning of clause
(25) of article 366 of the Constitution unless the Central Government, by notification in the
Official Gazette, otherwise directs.

(3) The expression " Hindu " in any portion of this Act shall be construed as if it
included a person who, though not a Hindu by religion, is, nevertheless, a person to
whom this Act applies by virtue of the provisions contained in this section.

3. Definitions and interpretation.

3.(1) Definitions and interpretation.In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-

(a) " agnate "-one person is said to be an " agnate " of another if the two are related
by blood or adoption wholly through males ;

(b) " aliyasantana law " means the system of law applicable to persons who, if this
Act had not been passed, would have been governed by the Madras Aliyasantana Act, 1949,
(Madras Act 9 of 1949.) or by the customary aliyasantana law with respect to the matters
for which provision is made in this Act ;

(c) " cognate "-one person is said to be a " cognate " of another if the two are related
by blood or adoption but not wholly through males;

(d) the expressions "custom" and "usage" signify any rule which, having been
continuously and uniformly observed for a long time, has obtained the force of law among
Hindus in any local area, tribe, community, group or family:

Provided that the rule is certain and not unreasonable or opposed to public policy:
and

Provided further that in the case of a rule applicable only to a family it has not
been discontinued by the family;

(e) full blood "half blood" and "uterine blood"-

(i) two persons are said to be related to each other by full blood when they are
descended from a common ancestor by the same wife, and by half blood when they are
descended from a common ancestor but by different wives;

(ii)two persons are said to be related to each other by uterine blood when they
are descended from a common ancestress but by different husbands;

Explanation.-In this clause " ancestor" includes the father and " ancestress " the
mother ;

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 (f)"heir" means any person, male or female, who is entitled to succeed to the property
of an intestate under this Act ;

(g) " intestate "-a person is deemed to die intestate in respect of property of which
he or she has not made a testamentary disposition capable of taking effect ;

(h) " marumakkattayam law " means the system of law applicable to persons-

(a)who, if this Act had not been passed, would have

been governed by the Madras Marumakkattayam Act, 1932
Madras Act 22 of 1933; the Travancore Nayar Act 2 of
1100K; the Travancore Ezhava Act 3 of 1100K; the
Travancore Nanjinad Vellala Act 6 of 1101K; the
Travancore Kshatriya Act 7 of 1108K; the Travancore
Krishnanvaka Marumakkathayee Act 7 of 1115K; the Cochin
Marumakkathayam Act 33 of 1113K ; or the Cochin Nayar
Act 29 of 1113K; with respect to the matters for which
provision is made in this Act ; or

(b)who belong to any community, the members of which

are largely domiciled in the State of Travancore Cochin
or Madras '[as it existed immediately before the 1st
November, 1956], and who, if this Act had not been
passed, would have been governed with respect to the
matters for which provision is made in this Act by any
system of inheritance in which descent is traced through
the female line ;

but does not include the aliyasantana law;

(i) "nambudri law " means the system of law applicable to persons who, if this Act
had not been passed, would have been governed by the Madras Nambudri Act, 1932
Madras Act 21 of 1933; the Cochin Nambudri Act 17 of 111K; or the Travancore
Malayala Brahmin Act 3 of 1106K; with respect to the matters for which provision is made
in this Act;

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1 Ins. by the Adaptation of Laws (No. 3) Order, 1956.
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(j) "related" means related by legitimate kinship:

Provided that illegitimate children shall be deemed to

be related to their mother and to one another, and their
legitimate descendants shall be deemed to be related to
them and to one another ; and any word expressing
relationship or denoting a relative shall be construed
accordingly.

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 (2) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, words
importing the masculine gender shall not be taken to include females.

4. Over-riding effect of Act.

4.(1)Over-riding effect of Act. Save as otherwise expressly provided in this Act,-

(a) any text, rule or interpretation of Hindu law or any custom or usage as part of
that law in force immediately before the commencement of this Act shall cease to have
effect with respect to any matter for which provision is made in this Act ;

(b) any other law in force immediately before the commencement of this Act
shall cease to apply to Hindus in so far as it is inconsistent with any of the provisions
contained in this Act.

(2) For the removal of doubts it is hereby declared that nothing contained in this Act
shall be deemed to affect the provisions of any law for the time being in force providing for
the prevention of fragmentation of agricultural holdings or for the fixation of ceilings or for
the devolution of tenancy rights in respect of such holdings.

CHAPTER II

INTESTATE SUCCESSION

General
5. Act not to apply to certain properties.
5.Act not to apply to certain properties. This Act shall not apply to-

(i) any property succession to which is regulated by the

Indian Succession Act, 1925, ( 39 of 1925.) by reason of the
provisions contained in section 21 of the Special Marriage
Act, 1954 (43 of 1954);

(ii) any estate which descends to a single heir by the terms

of any covenant or agreement entered into by the Ruler of any
Indian State with the Government of India or by
the terms of any enactment passed before the commencement of
this Act ;

(iii) the Valiamma Thampuran Kovilagam Estate and the Palace

Fund administered by the Palace Administration Board by
reason of the powers conferred by Proclamation (IX of 1124)
dated 29th June, 1949, promulgated by the Maharaja of Cochin.

6. Devolution of interest in coparcenary property.

6.Devolution of interest in coparcenary property. When a male Hindu dies after the
commencement of this Act, having at the time of his death an interest in a Mitakshara
coparcenary property, his interest in the property shall devolve by survivorship upon the
surviving members of the coparcenary and not in accordance with this Act:

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 Provided that, if the deceased had left him surviving a female relative specified in class
I of the Schedule or a male relative specified in that class who claims through such female
relative, the interest of the deceased in the Mitakshara coparcenary property shall devolve
by testamentary or intestate succession, as the case may be, under this Act and not by
survivorship.

Explanation 1.-For the purposes of this section, the interest of a Hindu Mitakshara
coparcener shall be deemed to be the share in the property that would have been allotted to
him if a partition of the property had taken place immediately before his death, irrespective
of whether he was entitled to claim partition or not.

Explanation 2.-Nothing contained in the proviso to this section shall be construed as

enabling a person who has separated himself from the coparcenary before the death of the
deceased or any of his heirs to claim on intestacy a share in the interest referred to therein.

7. Devolution of interest in the property of a tarwad, tavazhi, kutumba,kavaru or

illom.
7. Devolution of interest in the property of a tarwad, tavazhi, kutumba, kavaru or illom.
(1) When a Hindu to whom the marumakkattayam or nambudri law would have applied if
this Act had not been passed dies after the commencement of this Act, having at the time of
his or her death an interest in the property of a tarwad, tavazhi or illom, as the case may be,
his or her interest in the property shall devolve by testamentary or intestate succession, as
the case may be, under this Act and not according to the marumakkattayam or nambudri law.

Explanation.-For the purposes of this sub-section, the interest of a Hindu in the property
of a tarwad, tavazhi or illom shall be deemed to be the share in the property of the tarwad,
tavazhi or illom, as the case may be, that would have fallen to him or her if a partition of
that property per capita had been made immediately before his or her death among all the
members of the tarwad. tavazhi or illom, as the case may be,. then living, whether he or
she was entitled to claim such partition or not under the marumakkattayam or nambudri law
applicable to him or her, and such share shall be deemed to have been allotted to him or her
absolutely.

(2) When a Hindu to whom the aliyasantana law would have applied if this Act had not
been passed dies after the commencement of this Act, having at the time of his or her death
an undivided interest in the property of a kutumba or kavaru, as the case may be, his or her
interest in the property shall devolve by testamentary or intestate succession, as the case
may be, under this Act and not according to the aliyasantana law.

Explanation.-For the purposes of this sub-section, the interest of a Hindu in the property
of a kutumba or kavaru shall be deemed to be the share in the property of the kutumba or
kavaru, as the case may be, that would have fallen to him or her if a partition of that
property per capita had been made immediately before his or her death among all the
members of the kutumba or kavaru, as the case may be, then living, whether he or she was
entitled to claim such partition or not under the aliyasantana law, and such share shall be
deemed to have been allotted to him or her absolutely.

(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), when a sthanamdar dies

after the commencement of this Act, the sthanam property held by him shall devolve upon
the members of the family to which the sthanamdar belonged and the heirs of the

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sthanamdar as if the sthanam property had been divided per capita immediately before the
death of the sthanamdar among himself and all the members of his family then living,, and
the shares falling to the members of his family and the heirs of the sthanamdar shall be held
by them as their separate property.

Explanation.-For the purposes of this sub-section, the family of a sthanamdar shall

include every branch of that family, whether divided or undivided, the male members of
which would have been entitled by any custom or usage to succeed to the position of
sthanamdar if this Act had not been passed,

8. General rules of succession in the case of males.

8.General rules of succession in the case of males. The property of a male Hindu dying
intestate shall devolve according to the provisions of this Chapter :-

(a) firstly, upon the heirs, being the relatives specified in class I of the Schedule ;

(b) secondly, if there is no heir of class I, then upon the heirs, being the relatives
specified in class II of the Schedule ;

(c) thirdly, if there is no heir of any of the two classes, then upon the agnates of the
deceased ; and

(d) lastly, if there is no agnate, then upon the cognates of the deceased.

9. Order of succession among heirs in the Schedule.

9.Order of succession among heirs in the Schedule. Among the heirs specified in the
Schedule, those in class I shall take simultaneously and to the exclusion of all other
heirs ; those in the first entry in class II shall be preferred to those in the second entry ; those
in the second entry shall be preferred to those in the third entry ; and so on in succession.

10. Distribution of property among heirs in class II of the Schedule.

10.Distribution of property among heirs in class I of the Schedule. The property of
an intestate shall be divided among the heirs in class I of the Schedule in accordance with
the following rules:-

Rule 1.-The intestate's widow, or if there are more widows than one, all the widows
together, shall take one share.

Rule 2.-The surviving sons and daughters and the mother of the intestate shall each
take one share.

Rule 3.-The heirs in the branch of each pre-deceased son or each pre-deceased
daughter of the intestate shall take between them one share.

Rule 4.-The distribution of the share referred to in Rule 3--

(i) among the heirs in the branch of the pre-decease

son shall be so made that his widow (or widows
together), and the surviving sons and daughters get
equal portions ; and the branch of his pre-deceased sons

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 gets the same portion;

(ii) among the heirs in the branch of the pre-deceased

daughter shall be so made that the surviving sons and
daughters get equal portions.

11. Distribution of property among heirs in class II of the Schedule. The property of
an intestate shall be divided between the heirs specified in any one entry in class II of the
Schedule so that they, share equally.

12. Order of succession among agnets and cognates.

12.Order of succession among agnets and cognates. The order of succession among
agnates or cognates, as the case may be, shall be determined in accordance with the rules
of preference laid down hereunder:-

Rule 1.-Of two heirs, the one who has fewer or no degrees of ascent is preferred.

Rule 2.-Where the number of degrees of ascent is the same or none, that heir is
preferred who has fewer or no degrees of descent.

Rule 3.-Where neither heir is entitled to be preferred to the other under Rule 1 or
Rule 2 they take simultaneously.

13. Computation of degrees.

13. Computation of degrees. (1) For the purposes of determining the order of succession
among agnates or cognates, relationship shall be reckoned from the intestate to the heir in
terms of degrees of ascent or degrees of descent or both, as the case may be.

(2) Degrees of ascent and degrees of descent shall be computed inclusive of the
intestate.

(3) Every generation constitutes a degree either ascending or descending.

14. Property of a female Hindu to be her absolute property.

14.Property of a female Hindu to be her absolute property. (1)Any property possessed by
a female Hindu, whether acquired before or after the commencement of this Act, shall be
held by her as full owner thereof and not as a limited owner.

Explanation.-In this sub-section, " property " includes both movable and immovable
property acquired by a female Hindu by inheritance or devise, or at a partition, or in lieu of
maintenance or arrears of maintenance, or by gift from any person, whether a relative or
not, before, at or after her marriage, or by her own skill or exertion, or by purchase or by
prescription, or in any other manner whatsoever, and also any such property held by her as
stridhana immediately before the commencement of this Act.

(2) Nothing contained in sub-section (1) shall apply to any pro- perty acquired by way of
gift or under a will or any other instrument or under a decree or order of a civil court or
under an award where the terms of the gift, will or other instrument or the decree, order or
award prescribe a restricted estate in such property.

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 15. General rules of succession in the case of female Hindus.
15. General rules of succession in the case of female Hindus. (1) The property of a
female Hindu dying intestate shall devolveac

16. Order of succession and manner of distribution among heirs of a female Hindu.
16.Order of succession and manner of distribution among heirs of a female Hindu. The
order of succession among the heirs referred to in section 15 shall be, and the distribution
of the intestate's property among those heirs shall take place according to the following
rules, namely:-

Rule 1.-Among the heirs specified in sub-section (1) of section 15, those in one entry
shall be preferred to those in any succeeding entry, and those included in the same entry shall
take simultaneously.

Rule 2.-If any son or daughter of the intestate had pre-deceased the intestate leaving his
or her own children alive at the time of the intestate's death, the children of such son or
daughter shall take between them the share which such son or daughter would have taken if
living at the intestate's death.

Rule 3.-The devolution of the property of the intestate on the heirs referred to in clauses
(b), (d) and (e) of sub-section. (1) and in sub-section (2) of section 15 shall be in the same
order and according to the same rules as would have applied if the property had been the
father's or the mother's or the husband's as the case may be, and such person had died
intestate in respect thereof immediately after the intestate's death.

17. Special provisions respecting persons governed by marumakkattayam

andatiyasantana laws.
17.Special provisions respecting persons governed by marumakkattayam and
atiyasantana laws. The provisions of sections 8, 10, 15 and 23 shall have effect in relation to
persons who would have been governed by the marumakkattayam law or aliyasantana law if
this Act had not been passed as if-

(i) for sub-clauses (c) and (d) of section 8, the following had
been substituted, namely :-

"(c) thirdly, if there is no heir of any of the two

classes, then upon his relatives, whether agnates or
cognates."

(ii) for clauses (a) to (e) of sub-section (1) of

section 15, the following had been substituted, namely :-

"(a) firstly, upon the sons and daughter (including the

children of any predeceased son or daughter) and the mother ;
(b) secondly, upon the father and the husband

(c) thirdly, upon the heirs of the mother ;

(d) fourthly, upon the heirs of the father ; and

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 (e) lastly, upon the heirs of the husband."

(iii) clause (a) of sub-section (2) of section 15 had been

omitted ;

(iv) section 23 had been omitted.

General provisions relating to succession

18. Full blood preferred to half blood.

18.Full blood preferred to half blood. Heirs related to an intestate by full blood shall
be preferred to heirs related by half blood, if the nature of the relationship is the same in
every other respect.

19. Mode of succession of two or more heirs.

19.Mode of succession of two or more heirs. If two or more heirs
succeed together to the property of an intestate, they shall take the
property,-

(a) save as otherwise expressly provided in this Act, per capita and not per stirpes
and

(b) as tenants-in-common and not as joint tenants.

20. Right of child in womb.

20.Right of child in womb. A child who was in the womb at the time of the death of an
intestate and who is subsequently born alive shall have the same right to inherit to the
intestate as if he or she had been born before the death of the intestate, and the inheritance
shall be deemed to vest in such a case with effect from the date of the death of the intestate.

21. Presumption in cases of simultaneous deaths.

21.Presumption in cases of simultaneous deaths. Where two persons
have died in circumstances rendering it uncertain whether either of
them, and if so which, survived the other, then, for all purposes
affecting succession to property, it shall be presumed, until the
contrary is proved, that the younger survived the elder.

22. Preferential right to acquire property in certain cases.

22 Preferential right to acquire property in certain cases. (1) Where, after the
commencement of this Act, an interest in any immovable property of an intestate, or in
any business carried on by him or her, whether solely or in conjunction with others,
devolves upon two or more heirs specified in class I of the Schedule, and any one of such
heirs proposes to transfer his or her interest in the property or business, the other heirs shall
have a preferential right to acquire the interest proposed to be transferred.

(2)The consideration for which any interest in the property of the deceased may be
transferred under this section shall, in the absence of any agreement between the parties,
be determined by the court on application being made to it in this behalf, and if any

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person proposing to acquire the interest is not willing to acquire it for the consideration so
determined, such person shall be liable to pay all costs of or incident to the application.

(3)If there are two or more heirs specified in class I of the Schedule proposing to
acquire any interest under this section, that heir who offers the highest consideration for the
transfer shall be preferred.

Explanation.-In this section, " court " means the court within the limits of whose
jurisdiction the immovable property is situate or the business is carried on, and includes any
other court which the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify
in this behalf.

23. Special provision respecting dwelling- houses.

23.Special provision respecting dwelling- houses. Where a Hindu intestate has left
surviving him or her both male and female heirs specified in class I of the Schedule and his
or her property includes a dwelling-house wholly occupied by members of his or her
family, then, notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, the right of any such female
heir to claim partition of the dwelling-house shall not arise until the male heirs choose to
divide their respective shares therein ; but the female heir shall be entitled to a right of
residence therein:

Provided that where such female heir is a daughter, she shall be entitled to a right of
residence in the dwelling-house only if she is unmarried or has been deserted by or has
separated from her husband or is a widow.

24. Certain windows re-marrying may not inherit as windows.

24.Certain windows re-marrying may not inherit as windows. Any heir who is related
to an intestate as the widow of a pre-deceased son, the widow of a pre-deceased son of a
pre-deceased son or the widow of a brother shall not be entitled to succeed to the property
of the intestate as such widow, if on the date the succession opens, she has re-married.

25. Murderer disqualified.

25.Murderer disqualified. A person who commits murder or abets the commission of
murder shall be disqualified from inheriting the property of the person murdered, or any
other property in furtherance of the succession to which he or she committed or abetted
the commission of the murder.

26. Converts descendants disqualified.

26.Converts descendants disqualified. Where, before or after the commencement of this
Act, a Hindu has ceased or ceases to be a Hindu by conversion to another religion, children
born to him or her after such conversion and their descendants shall be disqualified from
inheriting the property of any of their Hindu relatives, unless such children or descendants
are Hindus at the time when the succession opens.

27. Succession when heir disqualified.

27.Succession when heir disqualified. If any person is
disqualified from inheriting any property under this Act, it shall
devolve as if such person had died before the intestate.

28. Disease, defect, etc., not disqualified

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 28.Disease, defect, etc., not to disqualify No person shall be disqualified from
succeeding to any property on the ground of any disease, defect or deformity, or save as
provided in this Act, on any other ground whatsoever.

Escheat

29. Failure of heirs.

29.Failure of heirs. If an intestate has left no heir qualified to succeed to his or her
property in accordance with the provisions of this Act, such property shall devolve on the
Government; and the Government shall take the property subject to all the obligations and
liabilities to which an heir would have been subject.

CHAPTER III

TESTAMENTARY SUCCESSION

30. Testamentary succession.

30.Testamentary succession. 1***** Any Hindu may dispose of by will or other
testamentary disposition any property, which is capable of being so disposed of by him, in
accordance with the provisions of the Indian Succession Act, 1925, (39 of 1925.) or any
other law for the time being in force and applicable to Hindus.

Explanation.-The interest of a male Hindu in a Mitakshara coparcenary property or the

interest of a member of a tarwad, tavazhi, illom, kutumba or kavaru in the property of the
tarwad, tavazhi, illom, kutumba or kavaru shall, notwithstanding anything contained in this
Act or in any other law for the time being in force, be deemed to be property capable of
being disposed of by him or by her within the meaning of this 2[section.]

CHAPTER IV

REPEALS

31.[Repeals.] Rep. by the Repealing and Amending Act, 1960 (58 of 1960), s. 2 and
the First Schedule.

THE SCHEDULE

(See section 8)

HEIRS IN CLASS I AND CLASS II

Class I

Son; daughter; widow ; mother; son of a pre-deceased son; daughter of a pre-

deceased son ; son of a pre-deceased daughter ; daughter of a pre-deceased daughter;
widow of a pre-deceased son; son of a predeceased son of a pre-deceased son ; daughter
of a pre- deceased son of a pre-deceased son; widow of a pre-deceased son of a pre-
deceased son.

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1 The brackets and figure "(1)" omitted by Act 58 of 1960, s. 3 and
Second Sch.
2 Sub. by Act 56 of 1974, s. 3 and the Second Sch. for "sub-section".
3 Sub-section (2) rep. by Act 78 of 1956, s. 29.
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Class II

I. Father.

II. (1) Son's daughter's son, (2). son's daughter's daughter,

(3) brother, (4) sister.

III. (1) Daughter's son's son, (2) daughter's son's daughter,

(3) daughter's daughter's son, (4) daughter's daughter's daughter.

IV. (1) Brother's son, (2) sister's son, (3) brother's

daughter

(4) sister's daughter.

V. Father's father ; father's mother.

VI. Father's widow; brother's widow.

VII. Father's brother ; father's sister.

VIII. Mother's father; mother's mother.

IX. Mother's brother ; mother's sister.

Explanation.-In this Schedule references to a brother or sister do not include references

to a brother or sister by uterine blood.

Source: http://indiacode.nic.in/fullact1.asp?tfnm=195630
Download Date: July 20, 2006

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