Source: https://www.vakilno1.com/bareacts/hinduadoptionsact/hinduadoptionsact.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 00:26:29+00:00

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(1) This Act may be called the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956.
(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, Bramho, Prathana or Arya Samaj.
(a) 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 convert or reconvert to the Hindu, Buddhist, Jaina or Sikh religion.
(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 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, through not a Hindu by religion, is, nevertheless, a person to whom this Act applies by virtue of the provisions contained in this section.
1. The word “and” omitted by Act 45 of 1962, sec. 2(a) (w.e.f. 29-11-1962).
2. Ins. by Act 45 of 1962, sec. 2(b) (w.e.f. 29-11-1962).
3. Ins. by Act 26 of 1968, sec. 3 and Sch. (w.e.f. 24-5-1968).
(c) “minor” means a person who has not completed his or her age of eighteen years.
(2) An adoption which is void shall neither create any rights in the adoptive family in favour of any person which he or she could not have acquired except by reason of the adoption, nor destroy the rights of any person her birth.
* Date of commencement 21-12-1956.
(i) Under section 6 the law does not recognise an adoption by a Hindu of any person other than a Hindu; Kumar Sursen v. State of Bihar , AIR 2008 Pat 24.
(ii) To prove valid adoption, it would be necessary to bring on records that there had been an actual giving and taking ceremony; M. Gurudas v. Rasaranjan , AIR 2006 SC 3275.
(iii) Law is well settled that adoption displaces the natural line of succession and therefore, a person who seeks to displace the natural succession to the property alleging an adoption must prove the factum of adoption and its validity by placing sufficient materials on record; Suma Bewa v. Kunja Bihari Nayak , AIR 1998 Ori 29.
(iv) Section 6 does not bar a lunatic person from being adopted; Devgonda Raygonda Patil v. Shamgonda Raygonda Patil, AIR 1992 Bom 189.
Explanation.- If a person has more than one wife living at the time of adoption, the consent of all the wives in necessary unless the consent of any one of them is unnecessary for any of the reasons specified in the preceding priviso.
(c) who is not married, or if married, whose marriage has been dissolved or whose husband is dead or has completely and finally renounced the world or has ceased to be a Hindu or has been declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be of unsound mind.
Has the capacity to take a son or daughter in adoption.
There is conceptual and contextual difference between a divorce woman and one who is leading life like a divorced woman. Both cannot be equated. The appellant because of her physical deformity lived separately from her husband and too for a very long period right from the date of marriage. But in eye of law they continued to be husband and wife, because there was no dissolution of marriage or divorce in the eye of law. Son adopted by appellant invalid; Brajendra Singh v. State of Madhya Pradesh , AIR 2008 SC 1056.
Where there is no evidence to show that the female Hindu was seriously ill — mentally or physically, it has been held that she is in a position to adopt; Devgonda Raygonda Patil v. Shamgonda Raygonda Patil, AIR 1992 Bom 189.
(1) No person except the father or mother or the guardian of a child shall have the capacity to give the child in adoption.
(2) Subject to the provisions of 1sub-section (3) and sub-section (4), the father, if alive, shall alone have the right to give in adoption, but such right shall not be exercised save with the consent of the mother unless the mother has completely and finally renounced the world or has ceased to be a Hindu or has been declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be of unsound mind.
2(4) Where both the father and mother are dead or have completely and finally renounced the world or have abandoned the child or have been declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be of unsound mind or where the parentage of the child is not known, the guardian of the child may give the child in adoption with the previous permission of the court to any person including the guardian himself.
(5) Before granting permission t a guardian under sub-section (4), the court shall be satisfied that the adoption will be for the welfare of the child, due consideration being for this purpose given to the wishes of the child having regard to the age and understanding of the child and that the applicant for permission has not received or agreed to receive and that no person has made or given or agreed to make or give to the applicant any payment or reward in consideration of the adoption except such as the court may sanction.
(ii) “court” means the city civil court or a district court within the local limits of whose jurisdiction the child to be adopted ordinarily resides.
1. Subs. by Act 45 of 1962, sec. 3(a), for “sub-section (3)” (w.e.f. 29-11-1962).
2. Subs. by Act 45 of 1962, sec. 3(b), for sub-section (4) (w.e.f. 29-11-1962).
3. The word “and” omitted by Act 45 of 1962, sec. 3(c)(i) (w.e.f. 29-11-1962).
4. Ins. by Act 45 of 1962, sec. 3(c)(ii) (w.e.f. 29-11-1962).
(ii) he or she not already been adopted.
(iii) he or she has not been married, unless there is a custom or usage applicable to the parties which permits persons who are married being taken in adoption.
(iv) he or she has not completed the age of fifteen years, unless there is a custom or usage applicable to the parties which permits persons who have completed the age of fifteen years being take in adoption.
(i) Adoption of boy more than 15 years of age and married is not illegal on account of non-compliance of section 10(iii) and 10(iv) of the Act provided such custom or usages is prevalent in a community; Hanmant Laxman Salunke (D) by L.Rs. v. Shrirang Narayan Kanse, AIR 2006 Bom 123.
(ii) The plaintiff being married and above 30 years of age could not prove any custom or usage being observed openly, continuously and uniformly thereby gaining the force of law in his Digamber Jain community which could validate his adoption; Nemichand Shantilal Patni v. Basantabai, AIR 1994 Bom 235.
(i) if the adoption is of a son, the adoptive father or mother by whom the adoption is made must not have a Hindu son, son’s son or son’s son’s son (whether by legitimate blood relationship or by adoption) living at the time of adoption.
(ii) if the adoption is of a daughter, the adoptive father or mother by whom the adoption is made must not have a Hindu daughter or son’s daughter (whether by legitimate blood relationship or by adoption) living at the time of adoption.
(iii) if the adoption is by a male and the person to be adopted is a female, the adoptive father is at least twenty-one years older than the person to be adopted.
(iV) the same child may not be adopted simultaneously by two or more persons.
(vi) the child to be adopted must be actually given and taken in adoption by the parents or guardian concerned or under their authority with intent to transfer the child from the family or its both (or in the case of an abandoned child or child whose parentage is not known, from the place or family where it has been brought up) tot he family of its adoption.
Provided that the performance of datta hormam shall not be essential to the validity of adoption.
(i) Provision of section 11 requiring age difference between adoptive mother and adoptive son to be at least 21 years is mandatory in nature. Word ‘must’ cannot be read as ‘may’. This breach is fatal to adoption; Hanmant Laxman Salunke (D) by L.Rs. v. Shrirang Narayan Kanse, AIR 2006 Bom 123.
(ii) The defendant’s father only wanted that he should be reared up by Sankar and Sasi after the mother’s death and there had been no formal ceremony of adoption nor were Sankar and Sasi unfit to have children of their own, thereby negativing the adoption; Urmila Devi v. Hemanta Kumar Mohanta, AIR 1993 Ori 213.
(iii) The age of the plaintiff was 30 years and that of the adoptive mother 48 years six months, thereby contravening the provisions of section 11(iv) as the difference between the plaintiff and mother was only 19 years and not 21 years; Nemichand Shantilal Patni v. Basantabai, AIR 1994 Bom 235.
(iv) There was no evidence in hand that the plaintiff was actually given and taken in adoption by the parents or guardians of the plaintiff as required under section 11(vi). Adoption was held not to have taken place; Nemichand Shantilal Patni v. Basantabai, AIR 1994 Bom 235.
Neither any deed of gift and acceptance executed and registered nor deed of acknowledgment acknowledging adoption is sufficient by itself to constitute legal adoption in the absence of actual giving or taking. It is not a substitute for actual giving or taking. Omission of day or date of adoption in a deed of acknowlegement is very vital, Such a deed loses all its significance; Raghunath Behera v. Balaram Behera, AIR 1996 Ori 38.
Subsequent marriage of the adoptive mother cannot invalidate the adoption; Narinderjit Kaur v. Union of India, AIR 1997 P&H 280.
1. Ins. by Act 45 of 1962, sec. 4 (w.e.f. 29-11-1962).
(a) the child cannot marry any person whom he or she could not have married if he or she had continued in the family of his or her birth.
(b) any property which vested in the adopted child be before the adoption shall continue to vest in such person subject to the obligations, if any, attaching to the ownership of such property, including the obligation to maintain relatives in the family of his or her birth.
On adoption, adoptee gets transplanted in adopting family with the same rights as that of natural-born son. Adopted child becomes coparcener in Joint Hindu Family property after severing all his ties with natural family; Basavarajappa v. Gurubasamma , (2005) 12 SCC 290.
An adoptee can take only that property to his adoptive family from his birth family which is already vested in the adoptee prior to adoption by inheritance or by partition in the natural family or as sole surviving coparcener as he becomes its absolute owner. Clause (b) of the proviso to section 12 cannot be attracted when the property has not been vested in him and is still a fluctuating coparcener property; Devgonda Raygonda Patil v. Shamgonda Raygonda Patil, AIR 1992 Bom 189.
“Vested property” in the context of clause (b) of the proviso to section 12 means property in which indefeasible right is created, i.e., on no contingency it can be defeated in respect of particular property; Devgonda Raygonda Patil v. Shamgonda Raygonda Patil, AIR 1992 Bom 189.
Subject to any agreement to the contrary an adoption does not deprive the adoptive father or mother of the power to dispose of his or her property by transfer inter vivos or by will.
(1) Where Hindu who has a wife living adopts a child, she shall be deemed to be the adoptive mother.
(2) Where an adoption has been made with the consent of more than one wife, the senior most in marriage among them shall be deemed to be the adoptive mother and the others to be step-mothers.
No adoption which has been validly made can be cancelled by the adoptive father or mother or any other person, nor can be adopted child renounce his or her status as such and return to the family of his or her birth.
Whenever any document registered under any law for the time being in force is produced before any court purporting to record an adoption made and is signed by the person giving and the person taking the child in adoption, the court shall presume that the adoption has been made in compliance with the provisions of this Act unless and until it is disproved.
(i) Whenever any document registered under any law for the time being in force is produced before any court purporting to record an adoption made and is signed by the person giving and the person taking the child in adoption, the court shall presume that the adoption has been made in compliance with the provisions of this Act. The proof of giving and taking of child is not necessary; Pathivada Rama Swami v. Karoda Surya Prakasa Rao, AIR 1993 AP 336.
(ii) If the adoption is disputed, it is for the plaintiff to prove that ceremony of giving and taking has not taken place; Devgonda Raygonda Patil v. Shamgonda Raygonda Patil, AIR 1992 Bom 189.
The petitioner is lawfully adopted by a Hindu lady and the Deed of adoption is registered and therefore the presumption as per the provisions of section 16 of the Act, can be drawn in favour of the petitioner. The said presumption would operate so long as there is not rebuttal by the procedure known to law; N.R. Trivedi v. District Education Officer, Anand , AIR 2004 Guj 53.
(1) No person shall receive or agree to receive any payment or other reward in consideration of the adoption of any person, and no person shall make or give or agree to make or give to any other person any payment or reward of which is prohibited by this section.
(3) No prosecution under this section shall be instituted without the previous sanction of the State Government or an officer authrorised by the State Government in this behalf.
Section 17 of the Act has been enacted by the legislature with a view to prevent trafficking of children. Where a major had agreed, after receiving considerable properties from the family into which he was to be taken in adoption, not to set up any claims with regard to certain items of the property belonging to the adopting family, the defendant could not be said to be a recipient of any payment or reward in consideration of adoption, of the plaintiff thereby not attracting section 17 of the Act; Jupudi Venkata Vijaya Bhaskar v. Jupudi Kesava Rao, AIR 1994 AP 134.
The amount payable by way of maintenance depends on the facts of each case and as such, no exception could be taken to the amount fixed by the trial Court as well as the date from which the maintenance could be claimed; Vasantha v. Chandren, AIR 2002 Mad 214.
No person shall be entitled to claim maintenance under this Chapter if he or she has ceased to be a Hindu by conversion to another religion.
The amount maintenance, whether fixed by a decree of court or by agreement, either before or after the commencement of this Act, may be altered subsequently if there is a material change in the circumstances justifying such alteration.
Subject to the provisions contained in section 27 debts of every description contracted or payable by the deceased shall have priority over the claims of his dependants for maintenance under this Act.
A dependant’s claim for maintenance under this Act shall not be a charge on the estate of the deceased or any portion thereof, unless one has been created by the will of the deceased, by a decree of court, by agreement between the dependant and the owner of the estate or portion, or otherwise.
Where a dependant has a right to receive maintenance out of an estate, and such estate or any part thereof is transferred, the right to receive maintenance may be enforced against the transferee if the transferee has notice of the right or if the transfer is gratuitous, but not against the transferee for consideration and without notice of the right.
Marriage of the parties broken within 3-4 days . it has not been consumated between the parties.when parties had settled the clauses of divorce on mutual consent and exchanged the articles in first motion petition. how could wife file a complaint under section 125 crpc against husband? is she entitled for any claim?
so far as stamp duty and registration fees is concerned, the same have to verified from the local office of Registration.
I am adopted son.paying lumsum amount every month.now they are behind with my flat to sell and give money.
Now I stop paying monthly.They are senior citizen.
Sec.125 of CrPc provides only interim succour to the wife. When the the matter is finally determined by the matrimonial court later, the amount awarded by it will take into account the amount granted by the criminal court under Sec.125 and will be absorbed into it. In your case, it is not clear wether the complaint under Sec.125 was instituted after the deliberations in the civil court or before. Any how, if you inform the criminal court about the settlement, it should definitely cancell the order under Sec.125.
I dont know whether you already got ur answer, in any case when a gift deed or release deed ( which is nothing but partition, if between brothers) in most states the stamp duty would normally be one thousand rupees ownly. For confirmation approach the local registrar,s office. Please note that there is no differnce between adopted brother and blood brother.
I have a very diferent case here. One of our friend’s son (12 years old) has been living with us and now i want to adopt him out of love and affection. He has been living with us for nine years and I have been taking care of maintenance. Me (31 yr old) and my wife (29 year old) are happy with it and also have a one year old daughter. Kid’s parents are also friends and have two other clildren and are happy to let us adopt. We did an adoption deed and got it registered at a Registrar’s office.
What do I need to do next? I want BMC to issue an adoption certificate so that I can change the name for iffical records like passport; school etc.
give correct interpretation of section 12(1) of hindu adoption and maintenance act 1956………….up to what circumstances an adopted child is tied to his or her natural birth family……………….
I have few concerns which I would like to discuss here.
1- Do you have any IDEA that Notary is valid for the adoption or not?
2- What are the procedure to remove the parental rights?
3- If you have already son then is it legal to adopt any son?
4- Suppose there is a wife and child and there is some maintenance case is running then in between is right to adopt a son without wife’s permission?
5- And Suppose he has adopted by Notary so is this valid or not?
6- And during maintenance case if that person is not informed to court that he has also adopted a son the how much this will be valid?
Please tell me I need some legal advise by which I can go into court against some wrong person.
I have 2 daughters ages 23 and 21 my wide died .My sister-in -law wanted to take second daughter for adoption .I want to give .what is the procedure and which age eligibility for adoption .they do not have kids too.
If a hindu young man gives his lonely son in adoption to too old person and that young man had single issue when the deed was executed.can it be valid for a hindu. Is adoption is valid.Please provide me authorities of courts to prove the adoption invalid.Thankink you.
Is it compulsory to take sign of relative to hand over property for adopted child?
I’m from Tamilnadu. I’m 27yrs. My grand mother’s elder sister took care me from child and I take care her now. So she registered her house to me as sale registration.But she adopted a child on 2001 who was boy at 5 yr old from our blood relation. Adoption means she made only registration. Not more documents made and he was lived with his birth family not with g.mother.She was uneducated and don’t know how to register for further processing. So she left him to take adoption .I and grand mother living in that house till now. But he and his father filed a case on court that property is for them. But she is not willing to give.
Plz guide me is it local registration is enough and valid for adoption.

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