Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956
20. Maintenance of children and aged parents
(1) Subject to the provisions of this section a Hindu is bound,
during his or her lifetime, to maintain his or her legitimate or illegitimate
children and his or her aged or infirm parents.
(2) A legitimate or illegitimate child may claim maintenance
from his or her father or mother so long as the child is a minor.
(3) The obligation of a person to maintain his or her aged or
infirm parent or a daughter who is unmarried extends insofar as the parent or
the unmarried daughter, as the case may be, is unable to maintain himself or
herself out of his or her own earnings or other property.
Explanation: In this section "parent" includes a
childless step-mother.