West Pakistan Hindu Women’s Rights to Agricultural Land Ordinance, 1959

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THE WEST PAKISTAN HINDU WOMEN’S RIGHTS TO 
AGRICULTURAL LAND ORDINANCE, 1959 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONTENTS 
Preamble 
1. Short title and extent 
2. Application 
3. Devolution of agricultural land 
4. Repeal and savings 
  
 

 
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THE WEST PAKISTAN HINDU WOMEN’S RIGHTS TO 
AGRICULTURAL LAND ORDINANCE, 1959 
WEST PAKISTAN ORDINANCE No. XI of 1959 
[26th March, 1959] 
AN 
ORDINANCE 
to consolidate the Hindu Law governing Hindu Women’s rights to agricultural land in the Province 
of West Pakistan. 
Preamble. WHEREAS it is expedient to consolidate the Hindu Law governing Hindu 
Women’s rights to agricultural land in the Province of West Pakistan; 
NOW, THEREFORE, in pursuance of the Presidential Proclamation of the 7th day of October, 
1958, and in exercise of al l powers enabling him in that behalf, the Governor of West Pakistan is 
pleased to make and promulgate the following Ordinance:__ 
1. Short title and extent. (1) This Ordinance may be called the. 
1[(2) It extends to the whole of the Province of West Pakistan, except the Tribal Areas.] 
2. Application. Notwithstanding any rule of Hindu Law or custom to the contrary, the 
provisions of section 3 shall apply where a Hindu dies intestate. 
Explanation I.__ A person shall be deemed to die intestate in respect of all agricultural land of 
which he has not made a testamentary disposition which is capable of taking effect. 
Explanation II.__ This Ordinance shall not affect any rule of succession prescribed in respect 
of tenants rights in agricultural land by any enactment relating to tenancy rights for the time being in 
force. 
3. Devolution of agricultural land. (1) When a Hindu governed by the Dayabhag School of 
Hindu Law dies intestate leaving any agricultural land, and a Hind u governed by any other school of 
Hindu Law or by customary law dies intestate leaving separate agricultural land, his widow, or if there 
are more than one widow all his widows together, shall, subject to the provisions of sub -section (3), 
be entitled in respect of the agricultural land in respect of which he dies intestate to the same share as 
a son: 
Provided that the widow of a predeceased son shall inherit in like manner as a son if there is 
no son surviving of such predeceased son, and shall inherit in like manner as son’s son if there is 
surviving a son or son’s son of such predeceased son: 
Provided further that the same provision shall apply mutatis mutandis  to the widow of a 
predeceased son of a predeceased son. 
 
1Subs. by the West Pakistan Laws (Extension to Karachi) Ordinance, 1964 (W.P. Ordinance No. VII of 1964), s. 2 and Sch. 
 
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(2) When a Hindu governed by any school of Hindu Law other than the Dayabhag School or 
by customary law dies having at the time of his death an interest in a Hindu joint family agricultural 
land, his widow shall, subject to the provisions of sub -section (3), be entitled to the same interest in 
the agricultural land as he himself had. 
(3) Any interest devolving on a Hindu widow under the provisi ons of this section shall be the 
limited interest known in Hindu Law as a Hindu women’s estate, provided however that she shall have 
the same right of claiming partition as a male owner. 
(4) The provisions of this section shall not apply to an estate which  by a customary or other 
rule of succession or by the terms of the grant applicable thereto descends to a single heir or to any 
property to which the Succession Act, 1925 (XXXIX of 1925), applies. 
4. Repeal and savings . (1) The following enactments and amendments thereby made in the 
Hindu Women’s Rights to Property Act, 1937 (XVIII of 1937), are hereby repealed:__ 
(a) The North -West Frontier Province Hindu Women’s Rights to Property 
(Extension to Agricultural Land) Act, 1942 (N.W.F.P. VI of 1942); and 
(b) The Hindu Women’s Rights to Property (Sind Extension to Agricultural Land) 
Act, 1943 (Sind IX of 1943). 
(2) Nothing in this Ordinance shall apply to the property of any Hindu dying intestate before 
the commencement of this Ordinance. 
 
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RGN Dated: 08-08-2025