Recently, the Supreme Court of the country has given an important decision, which is no less than a boon for daughters.
Under this decision, daughters will now get equal rights in their father’s property as their brothers, no matter on what date the father died. This decision is a historic step towards resolving the long standing property disputes in the joint families of the country and providing their due rights to the daughters.
What was the status of daughters earlier?
In our society daughters were often kept away from property. She was made to understand that after marriage her house had changed and now she no longer had any right in her maternal property. But this thinking is now against the law. Even in earlier laws, daughters had rights, but many times they were not able to get their share due to the date of father’s death or other reasons.
Now the court has made it clear that if a daughter is in a Hindu family by birth, she has an equal share in her father’s property – irrespective of when the father died.
What has changed due to the court order?
The new order states that:
- Daughters will get the same rights in their father’s property as sons.
- It will not make any difference whether the daughters are married or not.
- If the father died before 2005, the daughter will still get her rights, if the case is pending in the court.
- Daughters will no longer have to wait long for their share, they can take their share by going to court or through family agreement.
Why was this change necessary?
There were thousands of such cases in the country in which daughters were denied rights simply because their father died before 2005, even though the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act was amended in 2005 itself to give equal rights to daughters.
The court has made it clear that daughters are heirs by birth and not by any particular date.
What does this mean for daughters?
With this decision, the situation will completely change for daughters. Them:
- Will get equal share in father’s property
- There will be no discrimination regarding property
- Will get legal protection if someone wants to take away their rights
- Daughters will no longer have to compromise thinking, “I am a girl, what does it matter?”
What will the daughters have to do now?
If you are a daughter and have not yet inherited your father’s property, you can now:
- consult a lawyer
- If the matter is in court, claim your rights
- You can also get a share in the property through mutual consent after talking to the family.
- If your rights are being forcibly taken away, then knock on the court’s door
What impact will this decision have on society?
This new order will not only impact legal but also social thinking.
- Daughters will now get a share in property with respect
- The environment of gender equality will increase in the society.
- The economic status of women will be strengthened
- Daughters will not have to fight for their rights
- In future, parents and brothers will also not hesitate in accepting the rights of daughters.
Now the time has come when we accept that daughters are not just to go to someone else’s house. They have full rights to inherit their parents’ inheritance. This decision is not only a victory of law but also a symbol of acceptance of the real identity of daughters in the society.
If you or any daughter around you is still deprived of her rights, then now is the time to raise your voice, get information and take your share.