In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
(a) the expressions "custom" and "usage" signify any rule which, having been continuously and uniformly observed for a long time, has obtained the force of law among Hindus in any local area, tribe, community, group or family:
Provided that the rule is certain and not unreasonable or opposed to public policy: and
Provided further that, in the case of a rule applicable only to a family, it has not been discontinued by the family;
(b) "maintenance" includes—
(i) in all cases, provision for food, clothing, residence, education and medical attendance and treatment;
(ii) in the case of an unmarried daughter, also the reasonable expenses of an incident to her marriage;
(c) "minor" means a person who has not completed the age of eighteen years.
Legal Commentary & Landmark Judgments: Section 3
Section 3 provides foundational statutory definitions under HAMA, setting strict legal tests for customs and usages and establishing an expansive definition of 'maintenance' encompassing food, clothing, shelter, education, and marriage expenses.
When claiming maintenance for an unmarried daughter or minor children under HAMA, frame the prayer to include educational fees, medical expenses, and marriage provision pursuant to Section 3(b), backed by actual fee structures and inflation indices.