Gender, Law and Inheritance Rights: A Comparative Study of Women’s Rights in India
- YourLawArticle
- Aug 20
- 1 min read
Written by: Dr Hiramani Patgiri, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Political Science, Barbhag College, Assam
Abstract
Inheritance rights and gender - both of these have always been significant and contentious issues in discussions about women's rights in India. Since women are considered second-class citizens, the discussion of their inheritance rights is seen to be divided into two groups: the first being the conservative group, which obstructs women's empowerment, and the second being the progressive forces that fight for women's liberation. Despite their significant contributions in various fields of life, they have to silently suffer and are considered a disadvantaged class due to social barriers. Preventing women's access to inheritance rights is a blatant violation of rights guaranteed under the Indian Constitution and legal framework. It is noteworthy that the absence of a Uniform Civil Code in India has led to the division of inheritance rights through the religious system. Different religious communities have adopted their traditional practices regarding inheritance, which has made the matter even more complex. This research paper attempts to provide an analytical discussion on various factors influencing women's inheritance rights in the Indian social system.
Keywords: inheritance rights, women, India, uniform civil code.
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