Inheritance Laws Of Women in Manipur: Past and Present

Abstract

The concept of property in India has been one of the most complicated and extensive branches of jurisprudence. On the other hand, the same is the case for Meiteis concept of property. When we traced the origin or history, it is found that individuals were first treated as properties of the king. The king can acquire sons or daughters as property under the prescribed status as servant, slave, maid, attendant, bride, and reward. Later on, this slavery system was abolished bypassing the British Manipur Government in 1891 A.D. India was a country where orthodox, beliefs, customs, rites, and rituals were taken as a source of living in a society. The male predominantly dominated the society. Women were under the control of their male partners. This is nothing but portrayed as the features of a patriarchal society. The women were not in a position to live at their own will. Their rights were always deprived in terms of property, partition, or maintenance. As the property is concerned whether a self-acquired or ancestral property can be disposed of by the owner at its own will. A widow could be deprived of their share as that she would otherwise get on a partition. Women's property could be either ningol maral or nupi maral, which she was the absolute property as a woman. Ningol maral refers to the property of an unmarried woman whereas nupi maral refers to that of a married woman. Description of women's property in Meitei law : Aoonpot , which is given at the time of marriage by the parents Anything movable or immovable or immovable given by her parents or other relatives after the marriage. Property acquired by inheritance. It is to be noted here that the property which is given as a gift to her at the time of marriage or acquired by herself is her absolute property. She is the absolute owner to enjoy during her lifetime. After her death, it will devolve on the heirs of the person through whom she got it. Whereas property acquired by her intellect, skills, and labor or otherwise by her exertions during her motherhood as Mou Halakpi or Khainaba is Nupimaral. But property acquired by such a female during coverture is Nupimaral only when her husband has given consent to it and not otherwise. There is no concrete rule which governs the law of inheritance to Meitei woman's property. There is no such difference between ancestral property or selfacquired property may it be movable or immovable property. Father is the absolute owner of all kinds of property may it be ancestral property or property which is acquired by herself. After 2005 a woman is no more considered a member rather, they were treated as same as coparceners. The women have got the same right over ancestral property and selfacquired property. They can hold property and also acquire property on par with men.