The Hindu Code Bills were a set of Indian laws in the early 1950s, advocated by the then prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and the Law Minister, Dr B.R. Ambedkar. The purpose of these bills was to unify, codify, and modernise the laws governing marriage, divorce, inheritance, property rights, and allied matters for Hindus. This was aimed at achieving gender equality in each of the case. The bills granted women with property rights, right to divorce, and equal inheritance. They brought reforms in marriage by introducing monogamy and allowing inter-caste marriages, and abolishing caste-specific customs. They also created a common legal framework for Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs, replacing diverse regional customs.

However, these bills faced fierce resistance from orthodox groups and conservative Congress members, delaying its passage. Due to the relentless opposition and the failure to pass the bill, Dr Ambedkar resigned from the cabinet in 1951, viewing the failure as a betrayal of democratic principles and women’s rights. The original bill was broken down and reintroduced, eventually becoming four separate, landmark acts between 1955 and 1956: the Hindu Marriage Act (1955), the Hindu Succession Act (1956), the Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act (1956), and the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act (1956).