Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956
21. Dependants defined
For the purposes of this Chapter "dependants" means
the following relatives of the deceased:
(i) his or her father;
(ii) his or her mother;
(iii) his widow, so long as she does not re-marry;
(iv) his or her son or the son of his predeceased son or the son
of predeceased son of his predeceased son, so long as he is a minor:
PROVIDED and to the extent that he is unable to obtain
maintenance, in the case of a grandson from his father's or mother's estate,
and in the case of a great grand-son, from the estate of his father or mother
or father's father or father's mother;
(v) his or her unmarried daughter, or the unmarried daughter of
his predeceased son or the unmarried daughter of a predeceased son of his
predeceased son, so long as she remains unmarried:
PROVIDED and to the extent that she is unable to obtain
maintenance, in the case of a grand-daughter from her father's or mother's
estate and in the case of a great-grand-daughter from the estate of her father
or mother or father's father or father's mother;
(vi) his widowed daughter:
PROVIDED and to the extent that she is unable to obtain
maintenance-
(a) from the estate of her husband, or
(b) from her son or daughter if any, or his or her estate; or
(c) from her father-in-law or his father or the estate of either
of them;
(vii) any widow of his son or of a son of his predeceased son,
so long as she does not remarry:
PROVIDED and to the extent that she is unable to obtain
maintenance from her husband's estate, or from her son or daughter, if any, or
his or her estate; or in the case of a grandson's widow, also from her
father-in-law's estate
(viii) his or her minor illegitimate son, so long as he remains
a minor;
(ix) his or her illegitimate daughter, so long as she remains
unmarried.