Supreme CourtSupreme Court of IndiaGitha Hariharan v. Reserve Bank of India (1999): the mother as natural guardianIn 1999 the Supreme Court read down 'after' in Section 6(a) of the Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act 1956, holding the mother a natural guardian whenever the father is absent or indifferent.Valkya Editorial·15 Jun 2026·8 min