Quest

ion:
-Val
idAdopt
ionunderHi
nduAdopt
ionsandMai
ntenanceAct
,1956.

Answer
:

Intr
oduction:
-Section6oft heHinduAdopt i
onsandMaintenanceAct,1956pr ov idesthe
requisi
tesofav ali
dadoption.Thepersonadopt i
nghasthecapacit
yandal sot her ighttot
ake
i
nadopt ion.Theper songi
v i
nginadoptionhasthecapacit
yt odoso,thepersonadopt edi
s
capableofbeingt akeninadopti
onandt headopti
onmadei ncompli
ancewi tht heot her
conditi
onsment ionedinChapterIIoftheHinduAdopti
onandMai ntenanceAct , 1956.

Noadopt
ionshal
lbev
ali
dunl
ess:
-

1.Theper
sonadopt
inghast
hecapaci
tyandal
sot
her
ightt
otakei
nadopt
ion.

2.Theper
songi
vi
ngi
nadopt
ionhast
hecapaci
tyt
odoso.

3.Theper
sonadopt
edi
scapabl
eofbei
ngt
akeni
nadopt
ion:and

4.Theadopt
ionmadei
ncompl i
ancewit
htheot
hercondi
ti
onsment
ionedi
nChapt
erI
Ioft
he
HinduAdopt
ionandMai
ntenanceAct
,1956.

Accordi
ngSect i
on5oft heAct ,anadoptionmadeincontraventi
onoftheprov i
sionsof
ChapterI
IoftheHinduAdopt i
onsandMai ntenanceAct,
1956i svoid.I
nJaiSi
nghv /sShakuntl
a,
2002theSupremeCour topinedt hatSecti
on16oft heHinduAdopt i
onsandMai ntenanceAct,
1956envi
sagesast at
utorypresumpt iont
hatintheeventoftherebeingaregi
steredper t
aini
ng
adopti
on,adopt
ionwoul dbepr esumedt ohavebeenmadeaccor di
ngtolaw.

1.Capaci
tyofamal
eHi
ndut
otakei
nadopt
ion

AccordingSecti
on7ofHi nduAdopti
onandMai nt
enanceAct,1956anymal eHinduwhoi sof
soundmi ndandisnotaminorhasthecapaci
tytotakeasonoradaught eri
nadopt i
on.Butif
themal eHinduhasawifel
ivi
ngattheti
meofadopt i
on,heshal
lnotadoptexcepttheconsent
ofhiswi f
e.Butt
heconsentofthewif
eofamal eHindui
snotnecessaryinthefoll
owingthree
condit
ions:-

(
i)t
hewi
fehascompl
etel
yandf
inal
l
yrenouncedt
hewor
ld,
or

(
ii
)thewi
fehasceasedt
obeHi
ndu,
or

(
ii
i)t
hewi
fehasbeendecl
aredbyaCour
tofcompet
entj
uri
sdi
cti
ont
obeunsoundmi
nd.

I
famanhasmor ethanonewi feli
vi
ngatthetimeofadopti
on,t
heconsentofall
thewiv
es
mustbeobt ai
ned.TheActhasgi v
ent woquali
fi
cat
ionforamaleHindutocapabletot
akaa
chil
dinadoptioni.
e.t
hepersonmustbeofsoundmi ndandhemustnotami nor.Themanis
requi
redtotakeconsentofthewivesorwife,
befor
eadoption.Wi
thoutt
heconsentofwifeor
wivestheadoptionwi
llbevoid.
2.Capaci
tyofaf
emal
eHi
ndut
otakei
nadopt
ion

Nowaf emalehasalsot
hecapaci t
ytoadoptanychil
d.Sect
ion8oftheActprovi
desthatany
femaleHinduwhoi sofsoundmi nd,whoi
snotmi norandwhoisnotmarriedori
fmar r
ied,
whosemar r
iedhasbeendissol
vedorwhosehusbandi sdeadhasthecapacit
ytotakeasonor
daughterinadopti
on.

Awomanwhoi sofsoundmi ndandisnotaminorcantakechi

l
dinadopti
on.Thewomanhas
norighttoadopt,
duri
ngt hesubsi
stenceoft
hemar r
iage,
ift
hehusbandnotsuf
fer
ingwi
thany
ofthedisabi
li
ti
esment i
onedinSection8oft
heAct.Theunmarri
edandwidowwomanhasal so
therightt
otakeinadopti
onanychild.

3.Per
soncapabl
eofgi
vi
ngi
nadopt
ion

Sect
ion9oftheActdownthecapaci
tyofper
son,whomaygiv
ethechil
dinadopti
ontoanot
her
.
Nopersonsexceptt
hefat
herormotherort
heguardi
anoft
hechi
ldshal
lhavethecapaci
tyt
o
gi
veinadopti
on.

•Capaci
tyofthefat
hertogi
veinadopti
on:-I
fthefat
heri
saliv
e,heshal
lalonehav
et heri
ghtt
o
gi
vei
nadoptionbutsuchri
ghtshal
lnotbeexerci
sesavewit
htheconsentofthemother.

•Capacit
yofthemothert
ogiveinadopt
ion:-Themothermaygiv
ethechil
dinadopt
ionift
he
fat
heri
sdeadorhadcompleteyandfi
nal
lyrenouncedt
heworldorhasceasedt
obeaHi nduor
hasbeendecl
aredbyacourtj
uri
sdi
cti
ontobeunsoundmi nd.

•Capaci
tyoftheguar
diantogiv
ei nadopti
on:-Wher
ebot ht
hef at
herandmotheraredeadand
tobeunsoundmindandf i
nal
lyrenouncedbytheworlddecl
arebythecour
tthentheguardi
anof
achil
dmaygiv et
hechil
dinadoptionwiththefol
l
owingcondit
ionslai
ddownbythecourts:
-

oThatt
headopt
ionwi
l
lbef
orwel
far
eoft
hechi
l
d.

oThattheappl
i
cantf
orper
missi
onhasnotr
ecei
vedanypay
menti
nconsi
der
ati
onoft
he
adopt
ion.

oThatnoper
sonhasgi
venanypay
mentt
otheappl
i
cantf
orconsi
der
ati
onoft
headopt
ionof
chi
l
d.

Thefatherhaspref
erent
ial
righttogiv
ethechil
dinadopt
ion.I
fhei
sunsoundmindorsuf
fer
ing
fr
om chronicdi
seasehasther i
ghttogiv
eachildi
nadopti
on.Theguar
dianmaygi
vethechi
l
din
adopti
onwi t
hthepri
orpermissionofthecour
t.

4.Whocanbeadopt
ed:-Secti
on10oftheHinduAdopt
ionandMaintenanceAct
,1956t
he
fol
l
owingper
sonwhofulf
ilt
hecondi
ti
onsarecapabl
eforadopt
ion:
-

a)Heshoul
dbeHi
ndu.

b)HeorShenotal
readybeadopt
edanychi
l
dadopt
ed.
c)HeorShehasnotbeenmar
ri
edunl
esst
her
eisacust
om appl
i
cabl
ewhi
chper
mit
sbei
ngcan
adopt
.

d)HeorShehasnotcompl
etedt
heageoff
if
teeny
ear
swhi
chi
stobeconsi
der
edbei
ngt
aken
foradopt
ion.

5.For
mali
ti
esofAdopti
on:-(
i)Thechi
l
dtobeadopt
edmustbeact
ual
l
ygi
venandt
akeni
n
adopt
ionbythepar
ent
s/guardi
an.

(
ii
)Onl
yaf
tert
het
ransf
erofaboyf
rom onef
ami
l
ytoanot
herwi
thacer
emonywi
l
lbev
ali
d.

ReferacaseofLakshmanSinghKothar
iv/sSmt .RupKuwar ,
1961thecour
theldthatunderthe
HinduLawtherecannotbeav al
i
dadoptionunlesstheadoptiv
eboyistr
ansfer
redfrom one
famil
ytoanotherbydoi
ngtheceremonyofgivenandt aken.

Quest
ion:
-Whocangi
vechi
ldi
nAdopt
ion?

Or

Whocangi
veandt
akei
nadopt
ion?

Answer:
Secti
on7,
8,
9and10ofHi
nduAdopt
ionandMai
ntenanceAct1956pr
ovi
dest
he
fol
l
owingter
msforadopt
ion:
-

1.Compet
encyi
fHi
nduMal
etoadopt
.

2.Compet
encyofHi
nduFemal
etoadopt
.

3.Per
soncompet
entt
ogi
veadopt
ion.

4.Per
sonwhocanbeadopt
ed.

Al
ltheseabov
ecanbest
udi
edundert
hef
oll
owi
ngheads:
-

1.WHOCANADOPT:-Sect
ion7and8menti
onthoseper
sonwhocanadopt
.Thesesect
ionhas
twoty
pesofmet
hodsofadopt
ionbymal
eandadopti
onbyfemal
e.

ADOPTI
ONBYMALE:

Sect
ion7pr
ovi
dest
hatanadopt
ionbymal
erequi
rest
hef
oll
owi
ngt
hreecondi
ti
ons:
-

i
)Suchmal
eshal
lbeofsoundmi
nd.

i
i
)Hei
smaj
or.

i
i
i)Musthav
etheconsentofhi
swi
fe.
ThussuchHi ndumalecanadoptachi l
dwhoi smaj or,soundmi ndandhasobt ai
nedthe
consentofhiswi fe.I
ftheadopt
ionisperformedwi t
houtt heconsentofwif
et hensuchadopti
on
shallbevoid.ReferacaseofBholav /
sRam Lal -1989,Ithasbeenheldthatifanymalehas
mor ethanonewi fethentheconsentofallwivesarerequired.I
fanywifeatt
endt headopt
ion
ceremonyitshallbedeemedt ohav egiv
ent heconsentr eferacaseofPraf
ul Kumarv/sShashi
Bewa- 1990.

Iti
sperti
nentt
omentionthattheconsentofwif
eisnotnecessar
yinal
lci
rcumst
ancesi
.e.t
he
consentofwif
eisnotnecessaryi
nthefoll
owingcondi
ti
ons:-

1.Whenwi
fehadr
enouncedt
hewor
ld.

2.Whenshei
snomor
eHi
ndu.

3.Whenshehasbeendecl
aredunsoundbyt
hecompet
entcour
t.

ADOPTI
ONBYFEMALE

Secti
on8provi
dest
hatanyf
emal
ecanal
soadoptachi
l
donl
ywhensuchf
emal
eful
fi
lthe
fol
lowi
ngcondi
ti
ons:-

1.I
sunmar
ri
edorwi
dow.

2.I
samaj
or

3.I
sofsoundmi
nd.

I
tiscl
earthatafemal
ecannotadoptunt
ilt
hehusbandi
sli
vi
ng.Femal
ecanadoptachi
l
dev
en
whenthehusbandli
vi
ngonlywhen:

i
)Thehusbandhadr
enouncedt
hewor
ld.

i
i
)Thehusbandi
snotmor
eaHi
ndu.

i
i
i)Thehusbandhasbeendecl
aredunsoundmi
ndbyacour
t.

Herearesomeimpor
tantt
hingsthati
fmal ewantst
oadoptaf
emal
eorv
ice-
ver
sat
hent
heage
di
ff
erencebet
weenthetwoshall
beat -
least21year
s.

WHOCANGI
VEADOPTI
ON

Secti
on9menti
onst
hosepersonswhocangi
veachi
l
dinadopt
ion.Thef
oll
owi
ngsar
e
el
i
gibl
eforgi
vi
ngachi
ldi
nadopt
ion:-

1.Fat
her2,
Mot
her3Guar
dianappoi
ntedbyt
hecour
t.

I
fafat
hergi
vesachi
ldi
nadopti
ontheconsentofmothershal
lber
equi
red.Theconsentof
mot
hershal
lnotber
equi
redi
nfoll
owi
ngsituat
ions:
-
1.Whent
hemot
heri
srenouncedt
hewor
ld.

2.Whent
hemot
heri
snomor
eHi
ndu.

3.Whent
hemot
herhasbeendecl
aredunsoundmi
ndbyacour
t.

Gener
all
yamot hercannotgiv
eachil
dinadopti
ont
il
lthef
atheri
sli
vi
ng.Amot
hercangi
vea
chi
ldi
nadopt
iononlywhent hefol
l
owingoccur
:-

1.Thef
atherhadal
readydi
ed.

2.Fat
heri
srenouncedt
hewor
ld.

3.Thef
atheri
snomor
eHi
ndu.

4.Thef
atherhasbeendecl
aredunsoundmi
ndbyacompet
entcour
t.

Mothermeansonl
ythenatur
al mothernott
hest
epmot her
.St
epmot
hercannotgi
veachi
l
din
adopt
ion.Ref
eracaseofDharamrajJainv/
sSur
ajBai
-1973.

Aguar
dianappoi
ntedbyt
heper
missi
onofcour
tcangi
veachi
l
dint
he

f
oll
owi
ngcondi
ti
ons:

1.Whenbot
hfat
herandmot
herhaddi
ed.

2.Whent
heyhav
erenouncedt
hewor
ld.

3.Whent
heydonotr
emai
nHi
ndu.

4.Whent
heyhav
ebeendecl
aredunsoundmi
ndbyacompet
entcour
t.

Iti
sfurt
hertosubmi
tthatt
hecour
twi
l
lconsi
dert
hef
oll
owi
ngpoi
ntswhi
l
eper
missi
onf
ort
he
adopti
on:-

1.Theageofchi
l
d.

2.Knowl
edgeoft
hechi
l
d.

3.I
ntent
ionoft
hechi
l
d.

4.I
nter
estandwel
far
eoft
hechi
l
d.

5.Noconsi
der
ati
onbyt
heguar
dianet
c.

WHOMAYBEADOPTED.

Secti
on10menti
onsthatt
hoseper
sonswhomaybeadopt
ed.Accor
dingt
othepr
ovi
sionssuch
personmaybeadopt
edormaybegiveni
nadopt
ion:
-
1.Whoi
sHi
ndu.

2.Whohasnotal
readybeenadopt
ed.

3.Whoi
snotmar
ri
edwher
eithasbeenper
mit
tedbyt
hecust
om ort
radi
ti
ons.

4.Whoisnotabov
etheageof15y
ear
swher
eithasnotbeenper
mit
tedbyt
hecust
om or
tr
adi
ti
ons.

ThecaseofBalakri
shnav/sSadashi
ve-1977,anot
hercaseofMayaram vsJaiNarai
an-
1989
andKodippaRamaPapal urfShi
rkev/
sKannappam -1990.Itwasheldthatwherecust
omsor
tr
adi
ti
onsallowthereapersonabove15y ear
sofageormar r
iedcanbeadopted.

WhereasamongMaharasht
raSchool
andJai
nsaper
sonofanyagecanbeadopt
edr
efercase
ofBi
shanv/
sGiri
sh-
1986.

Anot
hercaseofDevGondav /sSham gonad-1992,t
heBombayHighCour
thel
dthatanyi
nsane
canal
sobeadopted.Fur
theranyorphanfoundchil
dorabandonchi
l
dmaybeadopted.

Quest
ion:Onwhatgr
oundscanaHi
nduwifecl
aim maint
enancefr
om herhusbandevenwhi
le
l
ivi
ngseparat
efor
m hi
m.Whenherr
ightt
omaintenanceisl
ost?

Ans:-I
ntroducti
on:-Undert
heHindusocietyandculturei
tsisthedut
yofhusbandtomai
ntai
n
hi
swi fe.Thesedutyisnotlegal
onlybutmoralalso.Accordingt
oManu,apersonhast
o
maintainhisparents,
wifeandminorchil
drenevenaf t
erdoing100wrongact
s.

Secti
on18ofHA&M Act ,1956acceptt
hissystem andpr
ovi
desthataHinduwifewhet
her
marri
edbeforeoraf
tert
heenf or
cementofthisactshal
lbeent
it
ledformaint
enancefr
om her
husbandduri
ngherli
fet
ime.

Acasei nthisr
egardofJayantiv
/sAlamell
u,1904,i
twashel dthati
tisthedut
yofhusbandto
maintainhiswi
fewithoutanyexcuseofshortageoffunds.AnothercaseMutyal
v/sMutyal
,
1958,itwasheldthatawifeisnotent
it
ledformaint
enancewhenshel eav
esthehousewit
hout
theconsentofherhusband.

Gr
oundofmai
ntenancewhi
l
eli
vi
ngsepar
atel
y

I
tisper t
inentt
oment i
onherethatthewif
eisentit
ledformaintenanceonlywhensheisl i
vi
ng
withherhusbandbutshei snotenti
tl
edtomaintenanceifsheisli
vingseparat
elyf
rom her
husband.Whoev eraccor
dingtoHinduAdopti
onandMai nt
enanceAct ,1956alsomakesa
provi
sionthataHinduwifemayal soobt
ainadecreeforseparateresidenceandmaintenance
fr
om herhusbandundert hefol
lowinggr
ounds:-

1.Desert
ion:
-Deser
ti
onasagroundforsepar
ater
esi
denceandmai ntenancemeansthe
abandoni
ngofthewifewi
thoutr
easonabl
ecauseandwithoutherconsentoragai
nstherwi
sh.
UnderSect
ion13(
1)ofHi
nduAdopti
onandMaint
enanceAct
,1956t
hedurat
ionoft
he
deser
ti
onneednotbeaper
iodoft
woy ear
s.I
tmaybelesst
hantwoyear
s.

2.Cruelt
y:-I
fthehusbandtreat
edhiswifewithcruel
tyandthewif
eapprehensioni
nhermind
thati
twillbeharmfullori
njuri
oustol
ivewithhim.Itwil
lbeagroundofseparater
esi
denceand
maintenance.Thedutyhast oprov
ethefol
lowingfacts:

•Thatt
hehusbandt
reat
edherwi
thcr
uel
ty,

•Thecruel
tywasofsuchnat
urewhi
chsheappr
ehendedi
nhermi
ndt
hati
twi
l
lbehar
mful
lor
i
njur
ioustoli
vewi
thhim.

3.Lepr
osy:
-Ifthehusbandsuff
eri
ngavir
ulentf
orm oflepr
osyitwil
lbeagr
oundforwi
fet
o
cl
aim mai
ntenanceandseparater
esi
dence.Thedurati
onofleprosyi
snotmat
eri
al.

4.Keepi
ngaconcubi
ne:
-Ift
hehusbandkeepst
heconcubi
neinthesamehousei
nwhi chhis
wif
elivi
ngwi
thaconcubi
nethenthewif
emayclai
m separ
ater
esidenceandmai
ntenance.

5.Conver
sion:
-IfthehusbandhasceasedtobeaHinduandconversi
ont oanotherr
eli
gionalso
agoodgroundf orthewif
etoliv
eseparat
eandclai
m maint
enanceform hishusband.Howev er,
aJainconvert
edt oSikhi
tisnotagr
oundf orwi
fet
oclai
m separ
ateresi
denceandmai ntenance.

6.AnotherWife:
-Underpri
orHinduLawpolygamywasall
owed.Amanmightmarr
ymoret
han
onewife.ButinHinduAdopti
onandMaintenanceAct
,1956makesmonogamycompul
sor
yand
abol
ishedbigamyoncef oral
l
.

7.Anyothercause:
-Ift
hewifeisofi
mmat
ureageandi
sli
vi
ngwi
thherpar
ent
sshewi
l
lcl
aim
maint
enancef or
m herhusband.

InacaseSi r
ajMohammadKhanv /sHaf i
zunni
s, 1981,
itwasheldbytheCour tthatt
he
i
mpot enceofthehusbandamount
stoment alcruelt
yforthewi
fe.I
twas, t
herefore,j
ustgr
ound
undersecti
on125ofCR.P.C.tocl
aim separat
er esi
denceandmaintenance.