SAMPATH LAKSHMI GUARDIAN Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THIS is an application by v. Sampath Lakshmi, the property and personal guardian of her minor children (1) Lalitha Bai, (2) Narayanan, (3) Lakshmanan, (4) Sita Kumari, (5) Gopal, (6) Mirabai, (7) Ramani, and (8) Kasturi, of whom five are her daughters and three are her sons, for sanction of the court to have her minor daughter Lalitha Bai, the first named, married to her brother Satyamurthi, and for payment out of it sum of Rs. 3000 from and out of the estate managed by her towards the marriage expenses of the contemplated marriage.

(2.) THE question for consideration is whether it is permissible for the property guardian of the estate of the three minor sons to spend the sum of Rs. 3000 or any reasonable amount which the court may sanction from and out of the minors' estate for the marriage of the minor girl, Lalitha Bai, the sister of the minor wards. The girl has attained marriageable age and she should be married in a manner befitting the social status and respectability of the family.

(3.) SAMPATH Lakshmi, the mother of the minors, is their natural guardian under the Hindu law. She can do all acts which are reasonable and necessary for the protection and preservation of the minors' property and for the necessity and benefit of the minors themselves. The powers of a guardian of property are described thus by Trevelyan in his book "The Law relating to Minors" 5th Edn. page 139: