An Act to amend and codify the law relating to intestate succession among Hindus.
The Hindu Succession Act, 1956 has 31 sections in 4 chapters, amended 18 times. Each link below opens the official text of that section. Official PDF on India Code.
The Hindu Succession Act, 1956 PDF
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Official copy of the Act from India Code (Legislative Department, Government of India).
All sections of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956
Chapter I: PRELIMINARY
- Section 1 – Short title and extent
- Section 2 – Application of Act
- Section 3 – Definitions and interpretation
- Section 4 – Overriding effect of Act
Chapter II: CHAPTER II
- Section 5 – Act not to apply to certain properties
- Section 6 – Devolution of interest in coparcenary property
- Section 7 – Devolution of interest in tarwad, tavazhi, kutumba, kavaru and sthanam properties
- Section 8 – General rules of succession in the case of males
- Section 9 – Order of succession among heirs in the Schedule
- Section 10 – Distribution of property among heirs in class I of the Schedule
- Section 11 – Distribution of property among heirs in class II of the Schedule
- Section 12 – Order of succession among agnates and cognates
- Section 13 – Computation of degrees
- Section 14 – Property of a female Hindu to be her absolute property
- Section 15 – General rules of succession in the case of female Hindus
- Section 16 – Order of succession and manner of distribution among heirs of a female Hindu
- Section 17 – Special provisions respecting persons governed by marumakkattayam and atiyasantana laws
- Section 18 – Full blood preferred to half blood
- Section 19 – Mode of succession of two or more heirs
- Section 20 – Right of child in womb
- Section 21 – Presumption in cases of simultaneous deaths
- Section 22 – Preferential right to acquire property in certain cases
- Section 23 – Special provision respecting dwelling-houses (omitted/repealed)
- Section 24 – Certain windows re-marrying may not inherit as windows (omitted/repealed)
- Section 25 – Murderer disqualified
- Section 26 – Convert’s descendants disqualified
- Section 27 – Succession when heir disqualified
- Section 28 – Disease, defect, etc., not to disqualify
- Section 29 – Failure of heirs
Chapter III: TESTAMENTARY SUCCESSION
- Section 30 – Testamentary succession
Chapter IV: REPEALS
- Section 31 – Repeals (omitted/repealed)