Citizens of India are governed by their personal laws based on the religion they follow in the matters of marriage, divorce, adoption, inheritance and maintenance. While Hindu Law arose from religious texts (dharmashastra) and customs (sadachar), several aspects of the Hindu Law were codified in the last century. For example, laws related to marriage, divorce, succession and adoption are now organised into statutes which are constantly interpreted by Indian courts.
In the 68 years since India became independent, the country has seen a remarkable transformation of its socio-economic landscape. The forces of globalisation, liberalisation and technological advancement have changed our social fabric and recalibrated our family relationships. One of the big advancements has been the greater equality for women in personal laws, especially on issues related to inheritance. There is a need to revisit important concepts of Hindu Law and examine them in the light of the changed cultural milieu today.
Centre for Constitutional and Legal Studies, India Foundation and Indian Council for Philosophical Research are jointly organizing the National Seminar on Hindu Law on 16-18 May, 2016 at New Delhi. The seminar seeks to bring together practitioners, academicians and students in the field of law to discuss various such contemporary issues and challenges in Indian Hindu Law and will also seek to initiate deliberations which mark the way ahead.
The Seminar will focus on the following four broad themes and subthemes therein:
1. Evolution of Hindu Law
2. Matrimony and Hindu Law
3. New Challenges to Hindu Law
4. Identifying and Addressing Existing Loopholes
