Supreme Court Annual Digest 2022- Hindu Law

Family Courts Act, 1984 - The Family Courts Act is not a standalone Act. It draws sustenance from Acts like the Hindu Marriage Act. This is for the reason that a petition within the meaning, for instance, of the Hindu Marriage Act, after a Family Court is established in India, is to be dealt with by the Family Court, on the grounds as provided under the Hindu Marriage Act. (Para 24) N. Rajendran v. S. Valli, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 224 : 2022 (3) SCALE 275

Hindu Adoption & Maintenance Act, 1956

Hindu Adoption & Maintenance Act, 1956; Section 12 - Adoption - While the main object of adoption in the past has been to secure the performance of one's funeral rights and to preserve the continuance of one's lineage, in recent times, the modern adoption theory aims to restore family life to a child deprived of his or her biological family - When child takes on to be a kosher member of the adoptive family it is only logical that he takes the surname of the adoptive family - A name is important as a child derives his identity from it and a difference in name from his family would act as a constant reminder of the factum of adoption and expose the child to unnecessary questions hindering a smooth, natural relationship between him and his parent. (Para 11-14) Akella Lalita v. Sri Konda Hanumantha Rao, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 638 : AIR 2022 SC 3544

Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956; Section 9(3) - Natural Guardian - Mother has an equal position as the father. (Para 9) Akella Lalita v. Sri Konda Hanumantha Rao, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 638 : AIR 2022 SC 3544

Hindu Law

Hindu Law - Hindu woman's right to maintenance is a tangible right against the property which flows from the spiritual relationship between the husband and the wife. Such right was recognized and enjoined under the Shastric Hindu Law - It was not and is not an empty formality or an illusory claim being conceded as a matter of grace and generosity. (Para 14, 20) Munni Devi @ Nathi Devi v. Rajendra @ Lallu Lal, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 515 : AIR 2022 SC 2596

Hindu Law - Sources of Hindu law and Judicial precedents discussed - Ancient text as also the Smritis, the Commentaries written by various renowned learned persons and even judicial pronouncements have recognized the rights of several female heirs, the wives and the daughter’s being the foremost of them. (Para 21 -65) Arunachala Gounder v. Ponnusamy, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 71 : AIR 2022 SC 605

Hindu Marriage Act, 1955

Hindu Marriage Act, 1955; Section 9, 26 - Orders giving visitation rights or temporary child custody cannot be passed in a proceedings under Section 9 of the Hindu Marriage Act for restitution of conjugal rights - A separate and independent petition under Section 26 has to be filed. Priyanka v. Santoshkumar, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 1021

Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 - Section 13(1) (ib) - Desertion - Merely because on account of the death of the appellant's mother, the respondent visited her matrimonial home in December 2009 and stayed there only for one day, it cannot be said that there was a resumption of cohabitation. (Para 11) Debananda Tamuli v. Smti Kakumoni Kataky, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 167 : AIR 2022 SC 1099 : (2022) 5 SCC 459

Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 - Section 13(1) (ib) - Desertion - The reasons for a dispute between husband and wife are always very complex. Every matrimonial dispute is different from another. Whether a case of desertion is established or not will depend on the peculiar facts of each case. It is a matter of drawing an inference based on the facts brought on record by way of evidence. (Para 8) Debananda Tamuli v. Smti Kakumoni Kataky, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 167 : AIR 2022 SC 1099 : (2022) 5 SCC 459

Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 - Section 13(1) (ib) - Desertion means the intentional abandonment of one spouse by the other without the consent of the other and without a reasonable cause. The deserted spouse must prove that there is a factum of separation and there is an intention on the part of deserting spouse to bring the cohabitation to a permanent end - There should be animus deserendi on the part of the deserting spouse. There must be an absence of consent on the part of the deserted spouse and the conduct of the deserted spouse should not give a reasonable cause to the deserting spouse to leave the matrimonial home. (Para 7) Debananda Tamuli v. Smti Kakumoni Kataky, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 167 : AIR 2022 SC 1099 : (2022) 5 SCC 459

Hindu Marriage Act, 1956 - Section 15 - Filing of appeal must be treated as having been presented within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act. The argument that not only must the appellant file the appeal, or prefer the appeal or present the appeal, but he must also ensure that the appeal comes on the judicial side of the High Court is clearly without any basis. (Para 27) N. Rajendran v. S. Valli, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 224 : 2022 (3) SCALE 275

Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 - Section 16 - Compassionate Appointment - The condition imposed by the Railway Board circular that compassionate appointment cannot be granted to children born from the second wife of a deceased employee - Rules of compassionate appointment cannot violate the mandate of Article 14 of the Constitution. Once Section 16 of the Hindu Marriage Act regards a child born from a marriage entered into while the earlier marriage is subsisting to be legitimate, it would violate Article 14 if the policy or rule excludes such a child from seeking the benefit of compassionate appointment. The circular creates two categories between one class, and it has no nexus to the objects sought to be achieved. Once the law has deemed them legitimate, it would be impermissible to exclude them from being considered under the policy. Exclusion of one class of legitimate children would fail to meet the test of nexus with the object, and it would defeat the purpose of ensuring the dignity of the family of the deceased employee. (Para 2,7) Mukesh Kumar v. Union of India, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 205 : 2022 (4) SCALE 103

Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956

Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956; Section 13 - Custody Petition - The consideration of the well-being and welfare of the child must get precedence over the individual or personal rights of the parents - the rights of the parents are irrelevant when a Court decides the custody issue. (Para 26, 32) Vasudha Sethi v. Kiran V. Bhaskar, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 48 : AIR 2022 SC 476

Hindu Succession Act, 1955

Constitution of India, 1950; Article 32 - Mandamus - A mandamus cannot be issued to the legislature to enact or amend legislation - Writ petition seeking direction to amend the Hindu Succession Act 1956 as recommended by the Law Commission of India in its 204th report - Dismissed. S. Venkatesh v. Union of India, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 752

Hindu Succession Act, 1955; Section 2(2), 6 - Female member of the Scheduled Tribe is not entitled to any right of survivorship under the provisions of Hindu Succession Act - It is high time for the Central Government to look into the matter and if required, to amend the provisions of the Hindu Succession Act by which it is not made applicable to the members of the Scheduled Tribe - Female tribal is entitled to parity with male tribal in intestate succession. (Para 7-7.2) Kamla Neti v. Special Land Acquisition Officer, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 1014

Hindu Succession Act, 1956 - Section 14 - Sub -section (2) of Section 14 inter alia applies to a Will which may create independent and new title in favour of females for the first time and is not a recognition of a pre -existing right. In such cases of a restricted estate in favour of a female is legally permissible and Section 14(1) of the said Act will not operate in that sphere. (Para 30) Jogi Ram v. Suresh Kumar, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 115 : (2022) 4 SCC 274

Hindu Succession Act, 1956 - Section 14(1) - The objective of Section 14(1) is to create an absolute interest in case of a limited interest of the wife where such limited estate owes its origin to law as it stood then. The objective cannot be that a Hindu male who owned self -acquired property is unable to execute a Will giving a limited estate to a wife if all other aspects including maintenance are taken care of. If we were to hold so it would imply that if the wife is disinherited under the Will it would be sustainable but if a limited estate is given it would mature into an absolute interest irrespective of the intent of the testator. (Para 31) Jogi Ram v. Suresh Kumar, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 115 : (2022) 4 SCC 274

Hindu Succession Act, 1956; Section 14 - The legislative intent of enacting Section 14(I) of the Act was to remedy the limitation of a Hindu woman who could not claim absolute interest in the properties inherited by her but only had a life interest in the estate so inherited. (Para 69) Arunachala Gounder v. Ponnusamy, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 71 : AIR 2022 SC 605

Hindu Succession Act, 1956; Section 14(1) - The words "possessed by" used in Section 14(1) are of the widest possible amplitude and include the state of owning a property, even though the Hindu woman is not in actual or physical possession of the same - The possession of the widow, must be under some vestige of a claim, right or title, because the section does not contemplate the possession of any rank trespasser without any right or title. (Para 14) Munni Devi @ Nathi Devi v. Rajendra @ Lallu Lal, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 515 : AIR 2022 SC 2596

Hindu Succession Act, 1956; Section 14(1) - Where a Hindu widow is found to be in exclusive settled legal possession of the HUF property, that itself would create a presumption that such property was earmarked for realization of her pre-existing right of maintenance, more particularly when the surviving co-parcener did not earmark any alternative property for recognizing her pre-existing right of maintenance. (Para 20) Munni Devi @ Nathi Devi v. Rajendra @ Lallu Lal, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 515 : AIR 2022 SC 2596

Hindu Succession Act, 1956; Section 15 - Inherited property of a female Hindu dying issueless and intestate, goes back to the source - If a female Hindu dies intestate without leaving any issue, then the property inherited by her from her father or mother would go to the heirs of her father whereas the property inherited from her husband or father-in-law would go to the heirs of the husband. In case, a female Hindu dies leaving behind her husband or any issue, then Section 15(1)(a) comes into operation and the properties left behind including the properties which she inherited from her parents would devolve simultaneously upon her husband and her issues as provided in Section 15(1)(a) of the Act. (Para 72-73) Arunachala Gounder v. Ponnusamy, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 71 : AIR 2022 SC 605

Hindu Undivided Family

Hindu Undivided Family - Joint Family Property - Gift - A Hindu father or any other managing member of a HUF has power to make a gift of ancestral property only for a 'pious purpose' - Term 'pious purpose' is a gift for charitable and/or religious purpose - A deed of gift in regard to the ancestral property executed 'out of love and affection' does not come within the scope of the term 'pious purpose'. (Para 13) K.C. Laxmana v. K.C. Chandrappa Gowda, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 381 : 2022 (6) SCALE 315

Hindu Undivided Family - Joint Family Property - Power to alienate only in three situations, namely, (i) legal necessity (ii) for the benefit of the estate and (iii) with the consent of all the coparceners of the family - Where an alienation is not made with the consent of all the coparceners, it is voidable at the instance of the coparceners whose consent has not been obtained. (Para 12) K.C. Laxmana v. K.C. Chandrappa Gowda, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 381 : 2022 (6) SCALE 315

Joint Family

Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005; Sections 2(f), 17 - The expression 'joint family' cannot be understood as understood in Hindu Law - The expression 'family members living together as a joint family', means the members living jointly as a family. In such an interpretation, even a girl child/children who is/are cared for as foster children also have a right to live in a shared household and are conferred with the right under Sub-Section (1) of Section 17 of the D.V. Act. When such a girl child or woman becomes an aggrieved person, the protection of Section 17(2) comes into play. (Para 36) Prabha Tyagi v. Kamlesh Devi, 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 474 : AIR 2022 SC 2331