Introduction:

Regarding the development of Hindu law The British took credit of enacting different law
especially reformative Hindu laws, where they think that they have succeeded to change and
make a landmark view on the field.
British had different interest over India. The main purpose of entering India was to conquer the
whole of India. Within their several interests they take credit of enacting different Hindu laws.
They set different courts and judges. There were practice of their own English law but side by
side practice of Muslim personal law and Hindu law was there depending on persons own
religion. There was also interference by British lawmakers in case of personal laws. This
influenced the personal law making by British.
In the beginning the courts established by British followed domestic and social norms and relied
on the proper interpretation of the pundits especially for Hindu law. There were other sources of
Hindu law during that period which was legislative and judicial decisions.
With the influence of British law makers later pundits were superseded and decision of judgment
and law making by British regarding Hindu law played a crucial role. Hence the reforms under
the Hindu law done by British cannot be ignored rather it changed the view of Hindu perspective
in the whole society.

List of Reformative Hindu laws

1) The Sati Regulations Act, 1829
2) Hindu Widow Remarriage Act 1856
3) The Hindu Disposition of Property Act, 1916
4) The Hindu Inheritance(Removal of disabilities) Act, 1928
5) The Hindu Law of Inheritance(Amendment) Act,1929
6) The Hindu Gains of Learning Act 1930
7) The Hindu Womens Right to Property Act,1937
8) The Arya Marriage Validation Act 1937
9) The Hindu Womens Right to Separate Residence and Maintenance Act, 1946
10) The Hindu Marriage Disabilities Removal Act, 1946

Table: Simple Overviews of reforms of Hindu Law during British period

LAWS

REFORMS
1) Abolishment of the practice of sati or widow

1)The Sati Regulations Act, 1829

immolation.

1) Legitimization Widow re-marriage.

2) Hindu widow remarriage Act 1856

2) Issue of such marriage legitimized and has

the right to inherit.
1) Will was accepted in favor of unborn child

3)The Hindu Disposition of Property Act, or who was not in existence.

1916

1)

It

removes

impediment

relating

to

incapabilitys of Hindu person to inherit.

4)The

Hindu

Inheritance(Removal

disabilities) Act, 1928

of 2) Excluded person from inheriting, who are

born lunatic or an idiot person.

1) Allocating some preferential rights to certain

5)The

Hindu

Law

of Hindu women in case of inheriting.

Inheritance(amendment) Act,1929

1) Rights given to a Hindu to enjoy ones

6)The Hindu Gains of learning Act 1930

propriety right over self acquired income.

1) Introducing widows right to enjoy deceased

husbands property even if any male heir exist.
7)The Hindu Womens right to property 2) It introducing authority of widow to inherit
Act,1937

with son, grandsons and great grandsons

jointly.

1) Validation of Arya Samjits Marriage which

8)The Arya Marriage validation Act 1937

was not regarded as valid one previously.

1) Defined and ensured Hindu Womens right

9)The Hindu Womens right to separate to maintenance.
residence and maintenance 1946

2) Introduced Hindu Womens right to separate

residence from husbands house.

10)The Hindu marriage disabilities removal 1) It validated marriage which was conducted
Act, 1946

between same gotra or parvera.