Guardianship of a Minor Hindu Child

The Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956 (HMGA) and the Guardians and Ward Act, 1890 (GWA) are the two acts that deal with guardianship. Both the acts define the rights, obligations, relations between adults and minors. The GWA applies to everyone regardless of caste, creed, or community and it includes the procedure on how to petition courts for the appointment of a guardian. The HMGA has an overriding effect in regard to all other laws relating to guardianship, as per Section 5 of the HMGA.

Dealing with Defamation in Civil Law

Defamation is making or publishing any Imputation to harm the reputation of a person or body. It is a dishonest false statement to discredit or put disrepute on a person or body. In Indian law, defamation is both a civil wrong and a criminal offence. But this write up focuses on it as a civil wrong, even though its definition in Indian Penal Code (IPC) is given to clarify the concept behind it.

Survey Officer can decide Boundaries, but not the Title

Under Section 9 of the Kerala Survey and Boundary Act 1961 (KSBA), the survey officer has the power to determine and record any boundary as undisputed in respect of which no dispute is brought to his notice. However, they cannot decide the question of a disputed title which a court alone can do. This is what the High Court of Kerala says in Thomas and Others v Philip [ 2022 (4) KHC 451].