Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956
7. Capacity of a male Hindu to take in adoption
Any male Hindu who is of sound mind and is not a minor has the
capacity to take a son or a daughter in adoption:
PROVIDED that, if he has a wife living, he shall not adopt
except with the consent of his wife unless the wife has completely and finally
renounced the world or has ceased to be a Hindu or has been declared by a court
of competent jurisdiction to be of unsound mind.
Explanation: If a person has more than one wife living at
the time of adoption, the consent of all the wives is necessary unless the
consent of any one of them is unnecessary for any of the reasons specified in
the preceding proviso.