A person who governs the proper functioning of a joint family is the head or the Karta of the family. He enjoys a unique position unlike any member of the family. The senior most male member of the Hindu joint family is usually the Karta of the or the head of the family. The Karta has innumerable rights and powers. He can exercise these rights in any manner he thinks fit as long as it is for the greater good of the family. Along with such great powers he has a number of liabilities such as

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... enance of the family members and keeping proper accounts. The concept of Karta in a Hindu joint family is not just a position of power but also serves a very practical purpose. This paper seeks to analyze the position of the Karta and the extent of the extent of the duties and rights with respect to the legal position, income, properties, business etc. the recent cases with regard to the position of the Karta have also been analyzed and in most of the cases the alienation of property made by the Karta was challenged and it was to be determined whether or not the alienations were made under the ambit of legal necessity.