law: Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956 
  2. Application of Act 
  (1) This Act applies- 
  (a) to any person, who is a Hindu by religion
  
  in any of its forms or developments, including a Virashaiva, a Lingayat or a
  
  follower of the Brahmo, Prarthana or Arya Samaj,
  (b) to any person who is a Buddhist, Jaina or
  
  Sikh by religion, and
  (c) to any other person who is not a Muslim,
  
  Christian, Parsi or Jew by religion, unless it is proved that any such person
  
  would not have been governed by the Hindu law or by any custom or usage as part
  
  of the law in respect of any of the matters dealt with herein if this Act had
  
  not been passed.
  Explanation:  The following persons are Hindus, Buddhists,
  
  Jainas or Sikhs by religion, as the case may be:
  (a) any child, legitimate or illegitimate, both of whose parents
  
  are Hindus, Buddhists, Jainas or Sikhs by religion;
  (b) any child, legitimate or illegitimate, one of whose parents
  
  is a Hindu, Buddhist, Jaina or Sikh by religion and who is brought up as a
  
  member of the tribe, community, group or family to which such parent belongs or
  
  belonged; 1[***]
  2[(bb) any child, legitimate or illegitimate, who has been
  
  abandoned both by his father and mother or whose parentage is not known and who
  
  in either case is brought up as a Hindu, Buddhist, Jaina or Sikh; and]
  (c) any person who is convert or reconvert to the Hindu,
  
  Buddhist, Jaina or Sikh religion.
  (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1),
  
  nothing contained in this Act shall apply to the members of any Scheduled Tribe
  
  within the meaning of clause
  (25) of article 366 of the Constitution unless the Central
  
  Government, by notification in the Official Gazette, otherwise directs.
  (2A) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1),
  
  nothing contained in this Act shall apply to Renoncants of the Union Territory
  
  of Pondicherry.
  (3) The expression "Hindu" in any portion of this Act
  
  shall be construed as if it included a person who, though not a Hindu by
  
  religion, is, nevertheless, a person to whom this Act applies by virtue of the
  
  provisions contained in this section.