Hindu Women's Property Rights under Hindu Succession Law: Past and present

In India, Hindu women's struggle for being conferred with property rights both in the matrimonial and natal family, not only in name but also in spirit, in the patrilineal system, is not a new phenomena but dates back to the days of Shastric laws where her status as maiden, widow or married defined her property rights burdening her with more restrictions than privileges. With the passage of time, certain laws were enacted during pre-independence period to improve the conditions of Hindu women with regard to inheritance, succession and partition. With the advent of independence, certain changes were brought into effect for providing property rights to Hindu women. This paper attempts to highlight the Hindu women's property rights under The Hindu Succession Act, 1956 and Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005.