Indian Succession Act

Ms. Raj Mohini executed a 1985 will in favour of the Indian Red Cross Society and a later 1987 will revoking the former and bequeathing her assets to Joginder Pal. After her death, the Red Cross Society applied for a succession certificate, but the court dismissed the application and granted a certificate to Joginder P…

In a suit for perpetual injunction, the appellants sought to restrain Smt. Venkata Subbamma (deceased) from alienating property granted to her under a 1969 compromise decree in a partition suit. After her death, the respondents, as legal representatives, claimed that Subbamma had executed a will in their favour, but th…

The Supreme Court dismissed three public‑interest writ petitions that sought to declare various provisions of Muslim, Hindu and Christian personal laws unconstitutional. The petitioners argued that polygamy, unilateral talaq, and discriminatory inheritance rules violated Articles 13, 14 and 15 of the Constitution. The …

The case concerned the succession to the shebaitship of the Shri Jugal Kishoreji Maharaj Mandir founded by Hari Dass. After the founder's death, his four chelas were nominated but none exercised the power to appoint a successor. The last serving chela, Bansi Dass, executed a will nominating Rambir Das and his brother a…

A four‑year‑old boy was electrocuted when a live wire fell on his roof, resulting in triple amputation and 100% permanent disability. The parents sued Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Ltd. under Section 68 of the Electricity Act, 2003 for compensation. The Single Judge of the High Court awarded Rs 60 lakhs, directing R…

The appeal concerned a special Letters Patent appeal filed before the CPC (Amendment) Act 2002 came into force. The appellant argued that Section 100‑A of the Code of Civil Procedure, which bars further appeals from a single‑judge decision, should apply retrospectively and thus invalidate the pending appeal. The Suprem…

The appellant, P.K. Mohan Ram, sought partition of his share in a property that the original owner had earlier executed a document titled "Settlement Deed" in favour of 16 relatives. The respondents claimed the document was a will obtained by fraud and that the settlor later executed a revocation deed and a will. The t…

The appellant filed a suit for partition of property claiming a two‑fifths share based on a custom that sons and daughters inherit equally among Roman Catholic Christians of the Latin rite. The appellant also contested the validity of a gift deed (Exhibit B‑1) and a settlement deed (Exhibit B‑2), alleging they were for…

Hanumanthappa, suffering from cancer, executed a Will two weeks before his death bequeathing his sole agricultural land to his niece (Respondent No.1). The wife and children (appellants) were unaware of the Will, claimed it was fabricated, and sought a declaration that the land was joint family property. The trial cour…

The appellant sought declaration and possession of a house based on a registered Will (Exhibit P4) executed by the deceased in his favour, which was attested by his brother and witnessed by his sister. The respondents admitted the existence of Exhibit P4 but contested it by producing an unregistered Will (Exhibit D1) a…

The widow Nirmaljit Kaur filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking production of her minor daughter, alleging that the husband's siblings forcibly took the child after his death and concealed her whereabouts. The respondents claimed the child had lived with them since birth and produced a passport, later asserting…

The case concerned the partition of the estate of John D. Abraham, who died intestate in 1964 leaving a wife, two sons and two daughters, one of whom (Triza Kalyani John, later A.S. Meenakshi) converted to Hinduism, married the plaintiff and was paid Rs 50,000 and gold ornaments allegedly to relinquish any claim to the…

Harcharan Singh transferred property to his wife Udham Kaur for maintenance. Udham Kaur claimed absolute ownership, which was upheld by the appellate court. During the pendency of her suit, Harcharan Singh sold the land to Gurmail Singh, who took possession. After Udham Kaur's death, Gurmail Singh sought ownership unde…

The dispute concerned a garden and temple complex in Jaipur claimed as community property of the Darjee (tailors) community. The appellant, Kalyan Singh, challenged a decree that had upheld the plaintiff’s title based on a 1916 will and an 1875 sale deed. The Supreme Court examined whether the earlier suit against Bhon…