Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937
3. Power to make a declaration
(1) Any person who satisfies the prescribed
authority-
(a) that he is a
Muslim, and
(b) that he is
competent to contract within the meaning of section 11 of the Indian Contract
Act, 1872, and
(c) that he is a
resident of 6[the territories to which this Act extends]
may by declaration in the prescribed form and
filed before the prescribed authority declare that he desires to obtain the
benefit of 7[the provisions of this section], and thereafter the provisions of
section 2 shall apply to the declarant and all his
minor children and their descendants as if in addition to the matters
enumerated therein adoption, wills and legacies were also specified.
(2) Where the prescribed authority refuses to
accept a declaration under sub-section (1), the person desiring to make the
same may appeal to such officer as the 8[State] Government may, if he is satisfied
that the appellant is entitled to make the declaration, order the prescribed
authority to accept the same.