Section 16 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 deals with the legitimacy of the children of

Section 16 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 protects the legitimacy of children of both kinds of defective marriage: section 16(1) covers children of marriages void under section 11, whether or not a decree of nullity is passed, and section 16(2) covers children begotten or conceived before a decree annulling a voidable marriage under section 12. So "void and voidable marriages" is correct; section 16(3) limits such children's property rights to the property of their parents.

Current law: Revanasiddappa v Mallikarjun (2023) clarified that the protected child may succeed to the parent’s share determined in Mitakshara joint-family property, but does not become a coparcener by birth or gain rights in others’ property. The statutory legitimacy rule in section 16 is unchanged.