Page:Hindu Marriage Act 1955.djvu/1



The following Act of Parliament received the assent of the President on the 18th May, 1955 and is hereby published for general information:—

Be it enacted by Parliament in the Sixth Year of the Republic of India as follows:—

1. Short title and extent.—(1) This Act may be called the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.

(2) It extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir, and applies also to Hindus domiciled in the territories to which this Act extends who are outside the said territories.

2. Application of Act.—(1) This Act applies—
 * (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, Prarthana or Arya Samaj,
 * (b) to any person who is a Buddhist, Jaina or Sikh by religion, and
 * (c) to any other person domiciled in the territories to which this Act extends who is not a Muslim, Christian, Parsi or Jew by religion, unless it is proved that any such person would not have been governed by the Hindu law or by any custom or usage as part of that law in respect of any of the matters dealt with herein if this Act had not been passed.