PRE – INDEPENDENCE EVOLUTION OF PERSONAL LAWS IN INDIA AND WAY FORWARD

AUTHOR – ARYENDRA KUMAR SINGH, STUDENT AT AMITY LAW SCHOOL, NOIDA

BEST CITATION – ARYENDRA KUMAR SINGH, PRE – INDEPENDENCE EVOLUTION OF PERSONAL LAWS IN INDIA AND WAY FORWARD, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (8) OF 2026, PG. 527-533, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

Abstract

This paper looks at how personal laws in India have changed over time. It digs into the role religion, old customs, colonial rule, and later reforms played in shaping the laws people follow today. It starts way back in ancient India, when religious texts like the Vedas and Smritis guided daily life and law felt almost sacred. Then, moving into the medieval era, things got more complicated—Islamic rulers brought Sharia principles, which merged with existing Hindu traditions. That mix set the stage for India’s long history of legal pluralism. The paper also takes a close look at how British colonial rule changed things and pushed personal laws in new directions.