Karta of the joint family-his position, powers, privileges and obligations

In a family business in Dadar, the eldest member signs the bank papers, decides which nephew joins the shop and pays for the cousin’s wedding. Nobody elected him and he did not apply for the post. Yet a bank or a buyer will deal with him as if he speaks for the whole family. Hindu law calls him the karta. What can he do alone, what must he answer for, and when can the rest of the family undo what he has done?

In two minutes

The karta is the manager of the joint family: his position arises by status, not contract, he manages its property and affairs with wide powers, he need not keep accounts unless there is fraud or misappropriation, and he owes the family a duty to manage honestly and for its benefit.

The rest of this chapter

The full explanation, the cheat sheet, every previous-year question at every mark weight, the quiz and the answer skeletons are part of Family Law – II on LexBlox Semester. Sign in to unlock the subject, or read Module 1 of Legal Language and Writing free.