Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 Section 26 And Guardians and Wards Act, 1890 Section 7- This case involves a mother (petitioner) seeking guardianship and custody of her minor child through an Original Petition, while the father (respondent) opposes it based on a prior mutual consent divorce decree where the mother allegedly waived her custody rights.
The respondent argues that the petition is not maintainable, citing a Gujarat High Court judgment stating that when a party relinquishes custody rights in a divorce decree, they must seek modification of that order from the same court that granted it, under Section 26 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, rather than filing a new petition under the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890. The petitioner, however, only sought for visitation rights of the child.
The court aligns with the Gujarat High Court’s view, emphasizing that matters of child custody should be addressed within the framework of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, particularly Section 26, which allows for modification of custody orders even after a divorce decree.