Section 5 of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 provides:

Section 5 of the Hindu Succession Act, headed "Act not to apply to certain properties", excludes specified properties, including qualifying single-heir estates and property whose succession is regulated by the Indian Succession Act through Section 21 of the Special Marriage Act. Section 21A of the latter Act excepts marriages where both parties profess the specified Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh or Jain religions, so a Special Marriage Act marriage alone does not establish the exclusion.