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PHHC Blocks Meo Tribe Custom Under Article 13, Upholds Widow's Property Rights as Gender Equality Landmark

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link
21 Apr 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:Article 13Customary Law 'Riwaaj-i-aam'
Bodies:Punjab and Haryana High Court
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.Punjab and Haryana High Court ruled that customary laws discriminating against female heirs and widows in property succession are unconstitutional and unenforceable under Article 13.

2.The case involved the Meo tribe's 'Riwaaj-i-aam' custom in Nuh region, which marginalized widows and daughters under an agnatic (male-line) theory of inheritance.

3.The judgment clarifies the distinction between Personal Law (based on scripture/codification) and Customary Law (an aberration), emphasizing that the latter must be proven strictly and cannot violate constitutional guarantees.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · High

The Punjab and Haryana High Court delivered a landmark judgment affirming constitutional gender equality over discriminatory tribal customs. It ruled that any customary law creating 'second class heirs' by denying a widow's property rights is unenforceable under Article 13 of the Constitution. This is a crucial precedent for UPSC aspirants on the interplay between Fundamental Rights and Personal/Customary Laws.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

High CourtPunjab and Haryana High Court
JusticeJustice Nidhi Gupta
Constitutional ArticleArticle 13
Tribe & RegionMeo tribe, Nuh region
Customary Law CitedRiwaaj-i-aam

1-Minute Revision

  • ›High Court: Punjab and Haryana High Court
  • ›Justice: Justice Nidhi Gupta
  • ›Target this Legal Point: Article 13's definition of 'law' includes custom.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: Punjab and Haryana High Court.
  • ›Target this Concept: Distinction between Personal Law and Customary Law.

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Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which High Court delivered the judgment upholding a widow's property rights against a discriminatory tribal custom?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the Punjab and Haryana High Court judgment:

1. The Court held that the discriminatory custom of the Meo tribe is enforceable as it is a matter of Muslim Personal Law.

2. The judgment is based on the principle that any customary law creating 'second class heirs' is unenforceable under Article 13 of the Constitution.

3. The Court clarified that 'Personal Law' and 'Customary Law' are two separate fields of law.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

The judgment discussed in the news invokes which Article of the Constitution to declare the discriminatory tribal custom unenforceable?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What was the primary legal implication of the Punjab and Haryana High Court's judgment regarding customary laws?

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