CONTENTS
CERTIFICATE;
DECLARATION;
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS;
LIST OF TABLES, FIGURES AND MAPS;
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS;
TABLE OF CASES;
TABLE OF LEGISLATION;
TABLE OF INTERNATIONAL TREATIES AND DOCUMENTS;
GLOSSARY OF TERMS;
CHAPTER 1: Introduction;
1.1 Background;
1.2 Review of Existing Literature;
1.3 Statement of Problem;
1.4 Aims and Objectives;
1.5 Research Hypotheses;
1.6 Research Questions;
1.7 Research Methodology;
1.8 Scope and Limitations;
1.9 Sources of Data;
1.10 Mode of Citation;
1.11 Tentative Chapterization;
CHAPTER 2: A Prolegomena to the Khasi and Mizo Tribes and the Patrilineal and Matrilineal Nature of their Societies;
2.1 The Khasis;
2.1.1 Origin of the Khasis;
2.1.2 Who is a Khasi?;
2.1.3 Khasi concept of Family and Family structures;
2.2 Concept of Matriliny;
2.2.1 Khasi Matriliny (Ka Shim-jait shim-lchotrg);
2.2.2 Reasons of Khasi Matriliny;
2.2.3 Status of Khasi Women;
2.2.4 Status of Khasi Men;
2.3 The Mizos;
2.3.1 Origin of the Mizos;
2.4 Concept of Patriliny;
2.4.1 Mizo Patriliny;
2.4.2 Status of Mizo Women;
CHAPTER 3: A Comparative Study of Khasi and Mizo Customary Inheritance Laws;
3.1 Concept of Customary Law;
3.2 Tribal Customary Law in India;
3.3 Customary law regarding women’s property rights among tribes;
3.4 Khasi Customary Inheritance Laws;
3.4.1 Khasi Land Tenure System;
3.4.2 Kinds of Property;
3.4.3 Inheritance of Ancestral Property among Khasis;
3.4.3.1 Division of property and its consequences;
3.4.3.2 Inheritance by a Male;
3.4.3.2.1 Preference among Males;
3.4.3.2.2 Nature of Inheritance by Males;
3.4.3.3 Choosing of a female heir, Rapiing;
3.4.4 Inheritance to Self-Acquired Property among Khasis;
3.4.4.1 Self-acquired Property of a Female acquired before marriage (Nongkhynraw);
3.4.4.2 Self-acquired Property of a Female acquired after marriage;
3.4.4.3 Self-acquired Property of a Male acquired before marriage (Nongkhynraw);
3.4.4.4 Self-acquired Property of a Male acquired after marriage;
3.4.4.5 Self-acquired Property jointly earned by husband and wife after marriage;
3.4.5 Loss of Right of Inheritance;
3.4.6 The Meghalaya Succession to Self-Acquired Property (Khasi and Jaintia Special Provision) Act, 1986;
3.4.7 Christian Khadduh;
3.5 Mizo Customary Inheritance Laws;
3.5.1 Early Traditions;
3.5.1.1 Rokhawm (Inheritance);
3.5.1.2 Pa Rokhawm (Inheritance from father);
3.5.1.3 Pami Rokhawm (Inheritance from father’s brothers);
3.5.1.4 Unau Rokhawm (Inheritance from brothers);
3.5.1.5 Unau-Bul Taktak Lo Rokhawm (Inheritance by distant relatives) and Laichin Rokhawm (Inheritance by clansmen);
3.5.1.6 Chawmhlum Rokhawm (Inheritance by caregiver);
3.5.1.7 Zawnchawp Rokhawm (Inheritance by the modality of will);
3.5.1.8 Pu Rokhawm (Inheritance from grandparents or grandchildren);
3.5.1.9 Ni Rokhawm (Inheritance from paternal aunt);
3.5.1.10 Fa Rokhawm (Inheritance by father) and Unaufate Rokhawm (Inheritance from nephew);
3.5.1.11 Ramhrangami Rokhawm (Inheritance by heir and caregiver);
3.5.1.12 Michuang Rokhawm (Inheritance from vagabond);
3.5.1.13 Hmeichhia In Rokhawm (Inheritance by women);
3.5.2 The Mizo District (Inheritance of Property) Act, 1956 ;
3.5.3 Mizo Hnam Dan, 1957;
3.5.3.1 Rights of Adopted Children;
3.5.3.2 Inheritance by Father;
3.5.3.3 Inheritance by Daughters;
3.5.3.4 Inheritance by Widow;
3.5.3.5 Inheritance by Relatives;
3.5.3.6 Inheritance by person who supports deceased (Chawmhlum Rokhawm);
3.5.4 Mizo Hnam Dan, 2005;
3.5.4.1 Kinds of property (Ro neih dan);
3.5.4.2 Sole holder of the property (Ro Neitu);
3.5.4.3 Order of Succession (Ro luah theih indawt dan);
3.5.4.4 Rules relating to division of property;
3.5.4.5 Wife’s share in husband’s property;
3.5.4.6 Severance of property (Ro luah dan);
3.5.4.7 Women’s personal property;
3.5.5 The Mizo Marriage, Divorce and Inheritance of Property Act, 2014;
3.5.5.1 Inheritance of Father’s (Head of the family) Property;
3.5.5.2 Inheritance of Unmarried Son’s Personal Property;
3.5.5.3 Inheritance of Unmarried Daughter’s Personal Property;
3.5.5.4 Inheritance of a woman’s personal property;
3.5.5.5 Inheritance for support till death;
3.5.5.6 Right of Son on indang and of Married Daughter;
3.5.5.7 Right of a divorced daughter;
3.5.5.8 Obligation of legal heir;
3.5.5.9 Right of a deceased father’s wife to possess house property;
3.5.5.10 Division of property on divorce;
3.5.5.10.1 Right of a woman leaving her husband on sumchhuah;
3.5.5.10.2 Right of a woman leaving her husband on mâk;
3.5.5.10.3 Share of acquired property;
3.5.6 Wills;
3.6 Comparison of Khasi and Mizo Inheritance Laws;
3.6.1 In the capacity of mother;
3.6.2 In the capacity of widow ;
3.6.3 In the capacity of daughter;
3.6.4 In the capacity of divorced women;
3.6.5 By the modality of Wills;
CHAPTER 4: A Study of the Khasi and Mizo Customary Inheritance Laws vis-à-vis International and National Standards of Equality;
4.1 Human Rights and Right to Inheritance- Conceptual Framework;
4.2 International Legal and Policy Instruments;
4.2.1 International Treaties;
4.2.1.1 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948;
4.2.1.2 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966;
4.2.1.3 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1966;
4.2.1.4 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, 1979;
4.2.2 General Comments and Recommendations of Treaty Bodies;
4.2.2.1 CCPR General Comment No. 19: Article 23 (The Family) Protection of the Family, the Right to Marriage and Equality of the Spouses
4.2.2.2 CEDAW General Recommendation No. 21: Equality in Marriage and Family Relations
4.2.2.3 CEDAW General Recommendation No. 29: Economic consequences of marriage, family relations and their dissolution;
4.2.2.4 CESCR General Comment No. 16: The Equal Right of Men and Women to the Enjoyment of All Economic, Social and Cultural Rights;
4.2.2.6 CESCR General Comment No. 12: The Right to Adequate Food;
4.2.2.7 CESCR General Comment No. 20: Non-discrimination in economic, social and cultural rights;
4.2.3 International conference reports;
4.2.3.1 Fourth World Conference on Women;
4.2.3.2 Second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements;
4.2.3.3 International Conference on Population and Development;
4.2.3.4 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development;
4.2.3.5 World Food Summit;
4.3 Constitution and Gender Equality;
4.4 Constitution of India and Women’s Right to Equal Inheritance;
4.4.1 Legislative History of Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Policy;
4.4.2 Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Policy- Basic Concepts;
4.4.3 Right to Equality under the Constitution of India;
4.4.4 What is ‘law’ under Article 13?;
4.4.5 Conflict between customary law and fundamental rights;
4.5 Khasi and Mizo Customary Laws vis-à-vis Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women;
4.6 Khasi and Mizo Customary Laws vis-à-vis Constitution of India;
CHAPTER 5: A Comparative Study of Khasi and Mizo Customary Inheritance Laws vis-à-vis Christian Law of Succession in India;
5.1 Concept of Succession;
5.2 Legislative history of Christian Law of Intestate Succession;
5.2.1 Period prior to 1865;
5.2.1.1 The Law Commissions of 1835, 1853 and 1865;
5.2.1.2 The Indian Succession Act, 1865 and its fate;
5.2.2 Period intervening 1865 and 1925;
5.2.3 Period subsequent to 1925 - Period of consolidation and the Indian Succession Act, 1925;
5.3 Christian Law of Intestate Succession;
5.3.1 In case of widow(er);
5.3.2 In case of lineal descendants;
5.3.2.1 When the intestate leaves behind children;
5.3.2.2 When the intestate leaves behind grandchildren;
5.3.2.3 When the intestate leaves behind great grandchildren;
5.3.2.4 When the intestate leaves behind children, grandchildren and great grandchildren;
5.3.3 In case of kindred;
5.3.3.1 When the intestate leaves behind father;
5.3.3.2 When the intestate leaves behind mother and siblings;
5.3.3.3 When the intestate leaves behind mother, siblings and children of pre-deceased siblings;
5.3.3.4 When the intestate leaves behind mother and children of pre-deceased siblings;
5.3.3.5 When the intestate leaves behind only mother;
5.3.3.6 When the intestate leaves behind siblings and children of pre-deceased siblings;
5.3.3.7 When the leaves behind neither lineal descendant, nor parent, nor brother, nor sister;
5.4 Christian Law of Testamentary Succession (Wills);
5.5 Comparison of Khasi and Mizo Customary Inheritance Law with Christian Law of Intestate and Testamentary Succession;
5.5.1 In the capacity of mother;
5.5.2 In the capacity of widow;
5.5.3 In the capacity of daughter;
5.5.4 By the modality of Wills;
CHAPTER 6: An Empirical Study of the Recent Developments relating to Khasi and Mizo Customary Inheritance Laws;
6.1 Analysis of responses of MLA’s and MDC’s;
6.2 Analysis of responses of representatives of NGO’s;
6.3 Analysis of the Questionnaires;
6.3.1 Analysis of the Questionnaires for Khasis;
6.3.2 Analysis of the Questionnaires for Mizos;
CHAPTER 7: Conclusion and Suggestions;
BIBLIOGRAPHY;
APPENDIX I: Questions for MLA’s of Meghalaya;
APPENDIX II: Questions for MLA’s of Mizoram;
APPENDIX III: Questions for MDC’s of Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council
APPENDIX IV: Questions for the NGO’s of Meghalaya;
APPENDIX V: Questions for the NGO’s of Mizoram;
APPENDIX VI: Questionnaire for Khasis;
APPENDIX VII: Questionnaire for Mizos;