S.5 Conditions for Valid Marriage: ‘MAMPS’

M = Monogamy (no spouse living) | A = Age (21 male, 18 female) | M = Mental capacity (sound mind) | P = Prohibited relationship (not within degrees) | S = Sapinda (not sapindas, unless custom permits).

S.13(1) Divorce Grounds: ‘ACID CURVE’

A = Adultery | C = Cruelty | I = Insanity (unsoundness) | D = Desertion (2+ years) | C = Conversion | U = (Venereal) Unsound health | R = Renunciation of world | V = Virulent leprosy | E = (presumed death) 7 years not heard of. (Note: leprosy and VD grounds were deleted by Personal Laws Amendment Act 2019 but may still appear in older question papers.)

S.13B Mutual Consent Divorce: ‘SIC’

S = Separation for 1+ year | I = Inability to live together (mutual agreement) | C = Cooling-off period of 6 months (waivable: Amardeep Singh).

Class I Heirs (Post-2005): ‘SWDDM + Others’

S = Son | W = Widow | D = Daughter | D = Daughter of predeceased son/daughter | M = Mother | + Son/Daughter of predeceased son’s/daughter’s predeceased children. Total: 12 entries (16 with sub-entries) in the Schedule.

S.14 Pre-existing Right Test: ‘OLD RIGHT = 14(1); NEW RIGHT = 14(2)’

OLD pre-existing right (maintenance, partition share, 1937 Act rights) recognized by instrument → S.14(1) = absolute. NEW right created for the first time with restrictions → S.14(2) = restricted estate preserved.

S.14(1) Explanation Modes: ‘I DAMP GPS’

I = Inheritance | D = Devise | A = At partition | M = Maintenance | P = Prescription | G = Gift | P = Purchase | S = Skill/exertion. + ‘any other manner whatsoever’ + Stridhana.

Disqualified Heirs S.25-28: ‘MCDD’

M = Murder bars (S.25) | C = Convert’s post-conversion children (S.26) | D = Deemed predeceased (S.27) | D = Disease is NO bar (S.28).

2005 Amendment Trilogy: ‘PDV’

P = Prakash v. Phulavati (OVERRULED) | D = Danamma v. Amar (partially correct) | V = Vineeta Sharma (FINAL LAW — retroactive, birth-based rights).

Karta’s Alienation Powers: ‘LBD + C’

L = Legal Necessity | B = Benefit of Estate | D = Dharmarthe (Indispensable Duty) | C = Consent of ALL adult coparceners. Without any = VOIDABLE (not void).

Hanooman Persuad Burden: ‘BEN’

B = Burden on alienee | E = Existence of necessity must be proved | N = Not required to prove actual application of money.

Antecedent Debt: ‘TF-NI’

T = Prior in Time | F = Prior in Fact | N = Not immoral | I = Incurred by father/grandfather only.

Kale’s Family Arrangement: ‘BVOAFE’

B = Bona fide | V = Voluntary | O = Oral is valid | A = Antecedent title/claim | F = Fair & equitable | E = Estoppel operates.

Blending Test: ‘IV’

I = Intention + V = Visible/overt act. Both must coexist. Once done = IRREVOCABLE.

S.125 vs S.18: ‘SCAN’

S = Secular (S.125) vs Specific Hindu (S.18) | C = Criminal vs Civil | A = All religions vs Acts on Hindus only | N = No bar to simultaneous claims.

Stridhan Remedies: ‘CCC-DHS’

C = Criminal Breach of Trust (S.406) | C = Cruelty (S.498A) | C = Civil suit | D = DV Act | H = HMA S.27 | S = S.14 HSA declaratory.

Stridhan vs Dowry: ‘VICC’

V = Voluntary (Stridhan) vs Demanded (Dowry) | I = In connection with marriage? (Yes = Dowry) | C = Criminal regime differs | C = Custody (husband = trustee for Stridhan).

HAMA vs Sr. Citizens Act: ‘FAST-V’

F = Forum (Tribunal vs Court) | A = All religions vs Hindu only | S = Speed (90 days vs years) | T = Transfer can be voided (S.23) | V = Very low cost.

S.24 vs S.25 vs S.18: ‘IPO’

I = Interim (S.24) | P = Permanent (S.25) | O = Ongoing (S.18 HAMA). Who can claim: S.24/S.25 = both spouses; S.18 = wife only.

Sapinda Count: ‘5F-3M’

5 = Five generations through FATHER | 3 = Three generations through MOTHER. Count the person himself as generation 1.

Sarla Mudgal (Conversion + Bigamy): ‘SARLA’

S = Second marriage after conversion = void | A = Art.25 no defence | R = Rights of first spouse protected | L = Law of first marriage governs dissolution | A = Always S.494 IPC / S.82 BNS.

Constitutional Pillars: ‘14-15-25-44’

14 = Equality | 15 = Non-discrimination (15(3) = women) | 25 = Freedom + 25(2)(b) = reform clause | 44 = UCC directive.

UCC Timeline: ‘SJJJUG’

S = Shah Bano (1985) | J = John Vallamattom (2003) | J = Jose Paulo (2019) | J = (Shayara Bano 2017) | U = Uttarakhand UCC 2024 | G = Gujarat UCC 2026.

Bigamy Essentials: ‘FVSC’

F = First marriage valid + subsisting | V = Valid second marriage with ceremonies | S = S.494 IPC / S.82 BNS | C = Conversion no defence.

Widow’s Estate Evolution: ‘S-B-37-56’

S = Shastric (limited) → B = British (crystallized) → 37 = 1937 Act (limited interest) → 56 = 1956 HSA (ABSOLUTE).

Illegitimate Child: ‘LP-NC’

L = Legitimacy (S.16 HMA) | P = Parents’ property only (S.16(3)) | N = NOT coparcener | C = Cannot claim against others.

EXAM TIP: These 25+ mnemonics cover the entire Hindu Law syllabus. Print this document and keep it as your final-day revision sheet. Each mnemonic is designed to trigger recall of the full topic when you see the keyword.