1. Domicile of Origin:

  • Section 7: The domicile of origin of every person of legitimate birth is the country in which the father was domiciled at the time of birth.

  • If a posthumous child, it is the country where the father was domiciled at the time of his death.

  • For an illegitimate child, it is the country in which the mother was domiciled at the time of birth.

  • Section 9: Domicile of origin prevails until a new domicile has been acquired.

    2.Domicile by Choice:

    • Section 10: A man acquires a new domicile by taking up his fixed habitation in a country which is not that of his domicile of origin.

    • Illustration: A, with a domicile of origin in England, is a barrister intending to reside the rest of his life in India; he is deemed to be settled and domiciled in India.

    • Special Mode (Section 11): One has to deposit a declaration in writing. Must be residing in India for not less than 1 year and deposited the declaration with an office appointed by the State Government.

    • Section 13: New domicile continues till the former domicile is resumed or another is acquired.

    • Case: Kedar Pandey v. Narain Singh: Narain, born in Nepal to a father domiciled in Nepal, married a girl with Indian domicile and was elected as head of a Panchayat. It was held he acquired domicile by choice.

      3. Domicile by Operation of Law: Three main categories: Minor, Lunatic, and Married Woman.

      1. Section 14: The minor follows the domicile of the parent from whom he derived his domicile of origin (Sections 7, 8).

      2. Section 17: A person cannot acquire a new domicile during minority.

      3. Section 15 & 16: A married woman acquires the domicile of her husband by marriage if she did not have the same domicile. During marriage, she follows her husband's domicile.

      4. Section 18: A lunatic person cannot acquire a new domicile in any other way than through the person under whose care he is.

      According to this section, Part II of domicile does not apply to a deceased person if they were Hindu, Muhammadan, Sikh, Buddhist, or Jain.