The Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956
Bare Act
In this Act, -
- "minor" means a person who has not completed the age of eighteen years;
-
"guardian" means a person having the care of the person of a minor or of his property or of both his person and property, and includes -
- a natural guardian,
- a guardian appointed by the will of the minor's father or mother,
- a guardian appointed or declared by a court, and
- a person empowered to act as such by or under any enactment relating to any Court of wards.
- "natural guardian" means any of the guardians mentioned in section 6.
Simplified Act
This law defines the following terms:
- "minor" is someone who is not yet 18 years old.
- "guardian" is a person responsible for a minor's well-being or property, or both, and can be:
- the minor's natural parent (natural guardian),
- someo… Read the complete text with KanoonGPT Pro.
Explanation using examples
Imagine a scenario where a 16-year-old Hindu boy inherits property from his late father. As he is under 18, he is considered a "minor" under the Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956. Therefore, he cannot manage the property on his own.
In this case, a "guardian" must be appointed to manage the property until the boy turns 18. The boy's mother, being the closest relative, automatically becomes the "natural guardian" as per section 6 of the Act, and she will take care of the boy's property until he is capable of doing so himself.
