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7 guides
Free legal aid, AI chat, templates, online consultations or an advocate — what each costs, what it does well, and when it is the wrong choice.
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How to change your name legally in India — full procedure

The three steps — affidavit, newspaper publication, and Gazette notification — name change after marriage, and which documents to update.
8 min
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What a legal notice is, when the law requires one, what it must contain, how to send it with proof, and what happens if it is ignored.
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General AI isn't grounded in the Indian Bare Acts and still quotes the old IPC/CrPC numbers. What changed under BNS/BNSS 2023 — and when to talk to a real lawyer.
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DLSA free legal aid, the NALSA 15100 helpline, Lok Adalat and consumer forums — who qualifies, what's genuinely free, and what to do if you don't.
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How to check your court case status online in India

Check any case free on eCourts with a CNR number or just your name. Which portal for which court, and how to read the case history.
9 min
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What a lawyer costs in India — and when you need one

How advocates charge, why no reliable fee data exists in India, who gets free legal aid, and when you can represent yourself.
10 min
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How to verify a lawyer in India — check an advocate’s enrolment

Check any advocate on their State Bar Council’s official search, what the record should show, and the red flags of a fake lawyer.
5 min
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Housing & Tenancy

12 guides
Housing & Tenancy

TDS on property purchase — the buyer's duty in India

Buying above ₹50 lakh? You must deduct and deposit TDS. The rate, the forms, the deadline — and the costly trap when the seller is an NRI.
9 min
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Housing & Tenancy

Property mutation (dakhil kharij) — how to update land records

What mutation is, why it is not the same as title, and how to get the records changed into your name after a purchase or inheritance.
8 min
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Housing & Tenancy

How to evict a tenant legally in India — a landlord's guide

The legal grounds, the notice-to-court process, and why self-help — changing locks or cutting power — is illegal.
8 min
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Housing & Tenancy

How to verify a property before buying in India

Title, encumbrance certificate, land records and approvals — the checks that protect lakhs before you pay, and the red flags to walk away from.
8 min
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Housing & Tenancy

Builder not giving possession? Your RERA rights for a delayed flat

RERA Section 18 lets you take a full refund with interest, or stay and claim interest for every month of delay. How to file — and when the consumer forum is the better route.
8 min
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Housing & Tenancy

Landlord not returning deposit? Your complete legal guide

Your rental agreement sets the refund terms. Step-by-step process to get your money back — written demand, legal notice, and a civil suit (or the Rent Authority) if they still refuse.
7 min
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Housing & Tenancy

Why rent agreements in India are for 11 months — the legal reason, stamp duty, and tenant rights

It's not tradition — it avoids compulsory registration under the Registration Act. But stamp duty is still due. Plus: myths busted, what happens after expiry, and what the Model Tenancy Act 2021 changes.
13 min
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Housing & Tenancy

Landlord wants to evict you? Your rights in India — notice periods, legal grounds, and illegal eviction

No eviction without a court order. Valid grounds, notice periods, cutting utilities is illegal, tenant defences, and how to fight back. Complete guide for 2026.
14 min
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Housing & Tenancy

Rent increase rules in India — how much can a landlord raise rent, notice period, and tenant rights

No mid-term increase without an escalation clause. Maharashtra cap: 4%. Delhi cap: 7%. MTA requires 3 months notice. How to challenge an illegal hike — complete 2026 guide.
13 min
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Housing & Tenancy

Housing society maintenance disputes — rights, GST rules, overcharging, and how to complain

Mandatory even for vacant flats. GST 18% above ₹7,500/month. Sinking fund misuse. Amenity denial. Who pays in rented flats. How to file with Registrar — complete 2026 guide.
14 min
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Housing & Tenancy

Sub-letting and PG rules in India — can you sublet, Airbnb legality, and sub-tenant rights

Unauthorized subletting = eviction ground. PG differs from subletting. Airbnb from a rented flat needs landlord consent. Sub-tenant rights are limited. Complete legal guide.
13 min
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Housing & Tenancy

Stamp duty and property registration — what you actually pay

Duty is charged on the higher of your price and the circle rate, registration must happen within four months, and an unregistered deed transfers nothing.
11 min
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Employment

10 guides
Employment

Is an employment bond legal in India? Validity and your rights

A bond binds only to the extent of the employer's reasonable actual cost — not as a penalty. What companies can and can't recover.
8 min
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Employment

How to withdraw your EPF (PF) online in India

The EPFO portal, UAN and KYC, which claim form to use, the 5-year tax rule, and what to do if your PF claim gets stuck.
8 min
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Employment

Full & final settlement not paid? Your rights after you quit

Employer withholding your F&F or relieving letter? What F&F must include, why earned wages can't be held back, and the complaint ladder to recover them.
8 min
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Employment

Employer not paying salary? Recover unpaid wages under the Code on Wages

The Code on Wages, 2019 now governs unpaid salary. A wage claim costs nothing to file, needs no lawyer, and can be made within 3 years.
6 min
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Employment

Wrongful termination in India — what counts, what you can claim, and how

Fired without notice or compensation? Under the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 you can challenge it within 2 years. Here's how to assess your case and what you can claim.
8 min
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Employment

Notice period buyout in India — can your company force you to serve, what it costs, and your legal rights

Supreme Court: contractual notice periods are enforceable. But courts cannot force you back to work. Buyout calculation, garden leave, non-competes void post-employment. Complete 2026 guide.
13 min
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Employment

Gratuity calculation in India — formula, 5-year rule, ₹20L ceiling, tax exemption, how to claim

(Basic+DA × 15 × Years) ÷ 26. 4 years 240 days counts as 5. Max ₹20L, tax-free. Fixed-term employees: 1 year now. How to claim if employer refuses — complete 2026 guide.
14 min
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Employment

Maternity leave rights in India — 26 weeks, full pay, job protection, crèche and 2025 SC ruling

26 weeks fully paid for first 2 children. Dismissal during leave is unlawful. Crèche for 50+ employees. 2025 SC: constitutional right, 3rd-child mothers not barred. Complete guide.
14 min
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Employment

Employer not depositing your PF? This is a criminal offence — here's what to do

Your employer must deposit your PF under the Code on Social Security, 2020. If it hasn't, you can raise a complaint online on the EPFO grievance portal.
5 min
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Employment

Workplace sexual harassment? The POSH Act, your ICC, and the 90-day rule

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013 requires every employer with 10+ employees to have an Internal Complaints Committee. Complaints must be resolved in 90 days.
10 min
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Consumer Rights

13 guides
Consumer Rights

Got an income tax notice? What it means and how to respond

Most notices are routine, not an accusation. How to check a notice is genuine, what each type means, and how to reply on the portal.
9 min
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Consumer Rights

Loan app harassing you? Your rights and how to stop it

Threats and messages to your contacts are crimes whatever you owe. How to check if the lender is RBI-regulated, and where to complain.
9 min
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Consumer Rights

CIBIL / credit score in India — check, improve and fix errors

What your score means, how to check it free, what drags it down, and how to dispute a wrong entry in your credit report.
8 min
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Consumer Rights

Medical negligence in India — how to complain and claim

What counts as negligence (a bad outcome alone is not), the consumer-forum route, evidence to gather, and the compensation process.
8 min
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Consumer Rights

Sent money to the wrong UPI or account? Get it back

The exact steps to recover an accidental wrong transfer — raise a dispute, involve both banks, and escalate to NPCI and the RBI Ombudsman.
9 min
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Consumer Rights

Recovery agents harassing you? Your rights under RBI rules

What recovery agents can and cannot do, the RBI hours and conduct rules, how to complain to the RBI Ombudsman, and when to go to the police.
9 min
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Consumer Rights

Can't pay your EMI? What happens on loan default in India

Late fees, credit score, NPA after 90 days, SARFAESI for secured loans — plus your rights and the settlement and restructuring options.
9 min
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Consumer Rights

Online refund refused? How to file a consumer forum complaint in 10 minutes

Amazon, Flipkart, Zomato — no company is above the Consumer Protection Act 2019. File free at e-jagriti.gov.in for claims up to ₹5 lakh, with no lawyer needed.
6 min
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Consumer Rights

Cheque bounced? Section 138 NI Act — your complete step-by-step guide

A bounced cheque is both civil and criminal. Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act is one of India's most powerful recovery tools. Act within 30 days.
7 min
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Consumer Rights

Lost money in a UPI scam? Call 1930 immediately — here's what to do in the first 24 hours

Speed is everything in cyber fraud. The first 24 hours determine whether you get your money back. Exact steps — 1930, cybercrime.gov.in, your bank.
5 min
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Consumer Rights

Insurance claim rejected in India? IRDAI Bima Bharosa, Ombudsman and Consumer Court guide

4-step escalation: GRO appeal → Bima Bharosa portal → Ombudsman (free, ₹50L) → Consumer Court. Common rejection grounds and how to fight each one.
13 min
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Consumer Rights

Defective product in India? Your rights — refund, replacement, compensation and how to file on e-Jagriti

Consumer Protection Act 2019: 6 rights, product liability, CCPA, e-Jagriti e-filing guide, National Consumer Helpline, mediation. File from your district — no lawyer needed.
13 min
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Consumer Rights

Money gone from your account? When the bank must refund you

Report an unauthorised transaction within 3 working days and your liability is zero. The RBI caps, the 10-day credit rule, and who must prove what.
9 min
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Criminal Law

10 guides
Criminal Law

Section 498A / BNS 85 — cruelty case: rights and process

What BNS Section 85 covers, what counts as cruelty, the protections available, and what happens if you have been accused.
9 min
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Criminal Law

How to get bail after arrest in India — a plain guide

What bail is, bailable vs non-bailable offences, how to apply for regular bail, and what the court weighs before granting it.
8 min
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Criminal Law

Anticipatory bail in India — how to apply before arrest

Protection from arrest, granted before it happens. How anticipatory bail differs from regular bail, which court to approach, and why it is never a DIY matter.
9 min
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Criminal Law

Police notice or summons? What to do when police call you

A notice to appear is not an arrest. What BNSS Section 35 means, why a WhatsApp notice is not valid service, your rights, and why to take a lawyer.
9 min
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Criminal Law

How to file an FIR in India under BNSS 2023 — Zero FIR, e-FIR, police refusal escalation

Section 173 BNSS replaced Section 154 CrPC from July 2024. FIR mandatory for cognizable offences. Police refuse? SP → Magistrate → High Court. Women's special rights. SC July 2025 ruling.
13 min
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Criminal Law

Defamation in India — civil vs criminal, Section 356 BNS, defences, social media and how to file

Section 356 BNS replaced 499 IPC. 2-year imprisonment. Civil damages. 10 exceptions protect fair comment & truth. Non-cognizable — file before Magistrate not police. SC Sept 2025 observation.
14 min
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Criminal Law

Cheque bounce notice in India — what to do as the accused, Section 138 NI Act defences and options

15 days to pay. Defences: no legally enforceable debt, defective notice, premature complaint. Section 139 presumption. Compounding. Interim compensation 20%. 2025 SC ruling on notice amount.
14 min
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Criminal Law

Someone was arrested — their rights under Article 22 and what to do in the first hour

Article 22 guarantees specific rights from the moment of arrest. Must be told why. Must see a Magistrate within 24 hours. Right to a lawyer immediately.
6 min
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Criminal Law

How to file an RTI in India — ₹10 filing fee, 30-day response window

The Right to Information Act, 2005 lets any citizen ask a government body for information. They have 30 days to respond. Here's how to draft, file, and appeal.
9 min
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Criminal Law

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 — what replaced the IPC and what it means for you

From 1 July 2024, the BNS, BNSS, and BSA replaced the IPC, CrPC, and Evidence Act. Section numbers changed. Procedures changed. Here's what's different.
11 min
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Family Law

18 guides
Family Law

Divorce under Christian and Parsi law in India

Two separate systems with their own statutes — and, for Parsis, their own courts. The grounds, mutual consent, maintenance and which court to approach.
10 min
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Family Law

Probate and letters of administration — what changed in 2025

Section 213 was omitted in December 2025, so probate is no longer compulsory anywhere in India. When it is still worth applying for, and what it costs.
10 min
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Family Law

Muslim divorce in India — talaq, khula and a wife's rights

Forms of talaq and what the 2019 Act changed, khula, mehr and iddat — and the 2024 Supreme Court ruling on maintenance.
11 min
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Family Law

Live-in relationships in India — your legal rights

Live-in relationships between consenting adults are not illegal. Protection from abuse, maintenance, and where children and property stand.
9 min
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Family Law

Partition of property — deed, suit or family settlement

How to divide family property, who can claim a share, daughters' rights after the 2005 amendment, and how a partition suit works.
10 min
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Family Law

Senior Citizens Act — parents' maintenance and property rights

Parents can claim maintenance from children through a Tribunal — and a property transfer can be cancelled if they are neglected.
9 min
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Family Law

How to adopt a child in India — the legal procedure (CARA)

Who can adopt, the laws that apply, and the step-by-step CARA/CARINGS process from registration to the court order.
9 min
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Family Law

Power of attorney in India — GPA vs SPA, how to make one

General vs special POA, how to make and register one, and the key myth: a GPA is not a property sale.
8 min
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Family Law

How to register your marriage in India — documents & steps

Registering an already-solemnised marriage and getting the certificate — which law applies, the documents, and how to apply.
8 min
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Family Law

Court marriage in India — procedure, documents and fees

Marrying under the Special Marriage Act — the 30-day notice, documents, three witnesses, eligibility, and how the certificate is issued.
8 min
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Family Law

Contested divorce in India — grounds, process and timeline

The grounds for divorce, the step-by-step court process, how long it takes, and why a contested divorce realistically needs a lawyer.
9 min
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Family Law

Succession vs legal heir certificate — how to get one

The difference between the two, which one unlocks a frozen bank account, and how to apply for each after a death in the family.
8 min
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Family Law

How to make a valid will in India — witnesses, registration

Who can make a will, the two-witness rule, why registration is optional (an unregistered will is valid), no stamp duty, and how to change it later.
9 min
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Family Law

Domestic violence in India? Your rights under PWDVA 2005 and how to get a protection order

Every woman in a shared household is protected — wife, mother, sister, live-in partner. Get a protection order, residence rights, and monetary relief in 60 days. Helplines included.
14 min
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Family Law

Maintenance & alimony in India — Section 144 BNSS complete guide for wives, children, parents

Section 144 BNSS replaced Section 125 CrPC on 1 July 2024. Religion-neutral, fast relief, payable from date of application. Quantum, procedure, disclosure rules.
15 min
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The non-adversarial way to end a marriage. 1-year separation, joint petition, 6-month cooling-off (now waivable), final decree. Process, costs, alimony, custody.
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Family Law

Child custody after divorce in India — who gets custody and how courts decide

Welfare of the child is the only test. Tender years doctrine, joint custody, Hindu and Muslim law, visitation rights, and how to file — complete guide.
16 min
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Family Law

Women's property inheritance rights in India — what the Hindu Succession Act actually says

The 2005 amendment gave daughters equal rights in ancestral property. Many women are unaware of rights they've had for nearly 20 years.
8 min
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