The Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956 applies to any person who is not a Muslim, Christian,…

Section 2(1)(c) extends the Act to any person who is not a Muslim, Christian, Parsi or Jew by religion, "unless it is proved" that he would not have been governed by Hindu law, or by any custom or usage as part of that law, on these matters if the Act had not been passed. The exception turns on proof about the personal law that would otherwise have governed him, not on citizenship, a renunciation of customs or a court direction.