A Critical Analysis of Gender Discrimination in Indian Personal Laws: An Empirical Study in Gwalior

Abstract

This research paper examines gender discrimination within Indian personal laws, focusing on their socio-legal implications for women in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. Despite constitutional guarantees of equality, personal laws rooted in religious traditions perpetuate gender biases in inheritance, marriage, divorce, and maintenance. Combining doctrinal analysis with empirical data from Gwalior, the study highlights the gap between legal reforms and their practical enforcement. It proposes legislative, judicial, and societal reforms to align personal laws with constitutional principles of equality and justice.