Supreme Court of India
OMPRAKASH & ORS.versusRADHACHARAN & ORS.
- Citation
- 2009 INSC 671
- Decided
- 5 May 2009
- Disposal
- Dismissed
- Bench
- S B SINHA
Holding
Section 15(1) of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 governs the devolution of the widow’s self‑acquired property, and the normal rule of succession to her own heirs prevails.
Summary
The case concerned the intestate succession of self‑acquired property of Narayani Devi, a widow who was expelled from her matrimonial home and lived with her parents. After her death, her mother and her brothers applied for a succession certificate, while the heirs of her husband also claimed the property. The Supreme Court examined whether Section 15(1) or the non‑obstante clause in Section 15(2) of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, governed the devolution of such self‑acquired property. It held that Section 15(1) applies because the property was not inherited from her parents or husband, and the statute makes no distinction between self‑acquired and inherited property. The Court emphasized that sentiment or sympathy cannot override clear statutory language, and the normal rule of succession to the deceased’s own heirs prevails. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed.
Issues considered
- Whether Section 15(1) or Section 15(2) of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 applies to the self‑acquired property of a female Hindu who died intestate.
- Whether the self‑acquired property of a widow is treated as her absolute property under the Act.
- Whether sentiment or sympathy can influence the interpretation of the statutory provisions.
Legislation cited
- Hindu Succession Act, 1956s. 15(1), s. 15(2), s. 16
- Indian Succession Act, 1925s. 372
Subjects
Hindu Succession ActSection 15self‑acquired propertywidowintestate successionstatutory interpretationsuccession certificate
Judgment
[2009] 7 S.C.R. 1007
•, OMPRAKASH & ORS. A
~
V.
RADHACHARAN & ORS.
Civil Appeal No. 3241 of 2009
MAY 5, 2009
B
[S.B. SINHA AND DR. MUKUNDAKAM SHARMA, JJ.]
Hindu Succession Act, 1956: ss. 15(1) and (2) -
Applicability of - Self acquired properties - Widow turned out
of matrimonial house - Got education and support at parental
house - Died intestate - Devolution of property - Held: Sub- c
section ( 1) of s. 15 would apply and not sub-section (2) thereof
- Sentiment or sympathy would not be guiding factor in
determining rights of parties which are otherwise clear and
unambiguous - Normal rule of succession must prevail -
Interpretation of statutes. D
... ~
One 'N' became widow within 3 months of her
~
marriage and was turned out of matrimonial house.
Thereafter she stayed in her parental house, where she
educated herself and got an employment. She died
E
interstate leaving behind self acquired properties.
--./
The mother of 'N' filed application for grant of
succession certificate. Respondents who were sons of
~
sister of N's husband filed similar application. Appellants
are brothers of 'N'. The question before this court was F
whether sub-Section (1) of Section 15 of the Hindu
Succession Act, 1956 or sub-Section (2) thereof would be
applicable in the facts and circumstances of this case.
Dismissing the appeal, the Court
G
HELD: 1. Section 15 of the Hindu Succession Act,
--- -t. 1956 provides for the general rules of succession in the
case of female Hindus. It lays down the mode and manner
..
j
in which the devolution of interest of a female shall take
ll
1007 H
1008 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2009] 7 S. C.R.
A place. Section 16 provides for the order of succession
and manner of distribution amongst the heirs of a female +
Hindu, stating that the same shall be according to the rules
specified therein. [Para 8] [1011-H; 1012-A-B]
2. It has not been disputed that the respondents are
B the heirs and legal representatives of husband of 'N'. Sub-
Section (1) of Section 15 lays down the ordinary rule of
succession. Clause (a) of sub-Section (2) of Section 15
providing for a non-obstante clause, however, carves out
an exception viz. when the property is devolved upon the
c deceased from her parents' side, on her death the same
would relate back to her parents' family and not to her
husband's family. Similarly, in a case where she had
inherited some property from her husband or from her
husband's family, on her death the same would revive to
D her husband's family and not to her own heirs. The law is
silent with regard to self-acquired property of a woman. • ,_
Sub-section (1) of Section 15, however, apart from the ~
exceptions specified in sub-section (2) thereof does not
make any distinction between a self-acquired property and
E the property which she had inherited. It refers to a
property which has vested in the deceased absolutely or
. which is her own. The self-acquired property of a female
' would be her absolute property and not the property
F
which she had inherited from her parents. In that view of
the matter, sub-Section (1) of Section 15 of the Act
,
would apply and not the sub-Section (2) thereof. [Para 9
and 10) [1012-F-H; 1013-A-C]
3. This is a hard case. 'N' during her life time did not
visit her in-laws' place. She was not lent any support from
.
G her husband's family and all support came from her
parents but then only because a case appears to be hard
would not lead the Court to invoke different interpretation
... ...
of a statutory provision which is otherwise impermissible.
It is now a well settled principle of law that sentiment or ,.
'
H sympathy alone would not be a guiding factor in •
-(
OMPRAKASH & ORS. V RADHACHARAN & ORS. 1009
--r'ti
,..
• determining the rights of the parties which are otherwise A
clear a'nd unambiguous. [Para 10) [1013-C-E]
.r,
-~
M. D., H. S. /. D. C. and Ors. v. Hari Om Enterprises and Anr.
2008 (9) SCALE 241; Subha B. Nair & Ors. v. State of Kera/a
& Ors. (2008) 7 SCC 210; Ganga Devi v. District Judge,
" B
Nainital & Ors. (2008) 7 SCC 770 - relied on.
4. The Act does not put an embargo on a female to
execute a will. Sub-section·(1) of Section 15 would apply
j only in a case where a female Hindu has died intestate. In
such a situation, the !lormal rule of succession as c
provided for by the statute must prevail. For the afore-
mentioned purpose, the golden rule of interpretation must
be applied. [Para 10] [1014-8-C]
..
' Bhagat Ram (Dead) v. Teja Singh (1999) 4 SCC 86 -
.;.
relied on . D
~ Case Law Reference
2008 (9) SCALE 241 relied on [Para 10]
(2008) 7 sec 21 o relied on [Para 10]
E
< (2008) 1 sec 110 relied on [Para 10]
(1999) 4 sec 86 relied on [Para 11]
- ~ .CIVILAPPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 3241
r of 2009 F
From the Judgment and Order dated 08.10.2007 of the
High Court of M.P. Jabalpur Bench at Gwalior in C.R. No. 139
of 2007
N.R. Choudhury, Somnath Mukherjee, fortheAppellant(s). G
-t Arvind V. Savant, Nitin S. Tambwekar, B.S. Sai, K. Rajeev,
with him for the Respondent(s).
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
S.B. SINHA, J. H
1010 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2009] 7 S.C.R. ·
A 1. Leave granted. ..
- ..
2. One Smt. Narayani Devi was married to one Dindayal
Sharma in the year 1955. She became widow within three
months of her marriage. Concededly, she was driven out of her
matrimonial home immediately after the death of her husband.
B After that s~e never stayed in her matrimonial home. At her
parental home, she was given education. She got an
employment. She died intestate on 11. 7 .1996. She had various
bank accounts; she left a huge sum also in her provident fund
;.__
account.
·C
3. Ramkishori, mother of Narayani, filed an application for
grant of succession certificate in terms of Section 372 of the
Indian Succession Act. Respondents herein also filed a similar
application. It now stands admitted that all her properties were
self acquired.
D
4. The question which arose for consideration before the
courts below as also before us is as to whether sub-Section (1) ..,
of Section 15 of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 (for short, "the
Act") or sub-Section (2) thereof would be applicable in the facts
E and circumstances of this case.
Section 15 of the Act reads as under:
"15 - General rules of succession in the case of female
Hindus. - (1) The property of a female Hindu dying
>
F intestate shall devolve according to the rules set out in
section 16.-
(a) firstly, upon the sons and daughters (including the
children of any pre-deceased son or daughter) and
the. husband;
G
(b) secondly, upon the heirs of the husband;
t
(c) thirdly, upon the mother and father;
(d) fourthly, upon the heirs of the father; and
H (e) _ lastly, upon the heirs of the mother.
OMPRAKASH & ORS. V. 1011
RADHACHARAN & ORS.[S.B. SINHA, J.]
/,
.; (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section A
(1),-
(a) any property inherited by a female Hindu from her
father or mother shall devolve, in the absence of any son
or daughter of the deceased (including the children of any
pre-deceased son or daughter) not upon the other heirs B
referred to in sub-section (1) in the order specified therein,
but upon the heirs of the father; and
i
J (b) any..property inherited by a female Hindu from her
husband or from her father-in-law shall devolve, in the c
absence of any son or daughter of the deceased (including
the children of any pre-deceased son or daughter) not
upon the other heirs referred to in sub-section (1) in the
order specified therein, but upon the heirs of the husband."
5. There is no doubt or dispute that the properties of the D
1
deceased were self-acquired ones and were not inherited from
f her parents' side. -
Appellants before us are her brothers, the original applicant
being the mother of the deceased having died. Respondents
are the sons of sister of the Narayan i's husband. E·
6. Mr. N.R. Choudhary, learned counsel appearing on
behalf of the appellant would contend that in a case of this nature
--i where the husband of the deceased or her in-laws had not made
" any contribution towards her education or had not lent any support F
during her life time, sub-Section (2) of Section 15 of the Act
should be held to be appli.cable. It was urged that the
Parliamentary intent as contained in clause (a) of sub-Section
(2) of Section 15 of the Act should be the guiding factor for
interpreting the said provision.
G
,. -t
7. Mr. Arvind V. Savant, learned Senior Counsel appearing
on behalf of the respondent, however, would support the
impugned judgment.
8. Section 15 provides for the general rules of succession
H
1012 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2009] 7 S.C.R.
A in the case of female Hindus. It lays down the mode and manner
1"
•
in which the devolution of interest of a female shall take place.
Section 16 provides for the order of succession and manner of
distribution amongst the heirs of a female Hindu, stating that
the same shall be according to the rules specified therein. It
B reads as under:
"Rule 1.-Among the heirs specified in sub-section (1) of
section 15, those in one entry shall be preferred to those
in any succeeding entry and those including in the same
entry shall take simultaneously. .
•
c
Rule 2.-lf any son or daughter of the intestate had pre-
deceased the intestate leaving his or her own children
alive at the time of the intestate's death, the children of
such son or daughter shall take between them the share
which such son or daughter would have taken if living at
D
the intestate's death.
'
Rule 3.-The devolution of the property of the intestate on <;
the heirs referred to in clauses (b), (d) and (e) of sob-
section (1) and in sub-section (2) of section 15 shall be in
E the same order and according to the same rules as would
have applied if the property had been the father's or the
mother's or the husband's as the case may be, and such
person had died intestate in respect thereof immediately
after the intestate's death."
~ ,..,
F 9. It has not been disputed that the respondents are the ;
heirs and legal representatives of Dindayal, husband of
Narayani. Sub-Section (1) of Section 15 lays down the ordinary
rule of succession. Clause (a) of sub-Section (2) of Section 15
providing for a non-obstante clause, however, carves out an
G exception viz. when the property is devolved upon the deceased
from her parents' side, on her death the same would relate back
i- ...
to her parents' family and not to her husband's family. Similarly,
in a case where she had inherited some property from her
. husband or from her husband's family, on her death the same
-
H would revive to her husband's family and not to her own heirs.
OMPRAKASH & ORS. V. 1013
RADHACHARAN & ORS.[S.B. SINHA, J.]
f
.. The law is silent with regard to self-acquired property of a A
woman. Sub-section (1) of Section 15, however, apart from the
exceptions specified in sub-section (2) thereof does riot make
any distinction between a self-acquired property and the property
which she had inherited. It refers to a property which has vested
in the deceased absolutely or which is her own. The self- B
acquired property of a female would be her absolute property
and not the property which she had inherited from her parents.
J 10. In that view of the matter, we are of the opinion that
sub-Section (1) of Section 15 of the Act would apply and not the
sub-Section (2) thereof. c
This is a hard case. Narayani during her life time did not
visit her in-laws' place. We will presume that the contentions
raised by Mr. Choudhury that she had not been lent any support
from her husband's family is correct and all support had come
D
'f from her parents but then only because a case appears to be
j hard would not lead us to invoke different interpretation of a "
statutory provision which is otherwise impermissible. It is now a
well settled principle of law that sentiment or sympathy alone
would not be a guiding factor in determining the rights of the
parties which are otherwise clear and unambiguous. E
In MD., H.S.l.D.C. and Ors. vs.' Hari Om Enterprises and
Anr[2008 (9) SCALE 241], this Court held:
' "54. This Court applied the doctrine of proportionality
having regard to a large number of decisions operating in F
the field. This Court, however, also put a note of caution that
\
no order should be passed only on sympathy or sentiment."
In Subha B. Nair & Ors. vs. State of Kera/a & Ors. [(2008)
7 SCC 210], this Court held:
G
+ "21. This Court furthermore cannot issue a direction only
........
on sentiment/sympathy."
In Ganga Devi vs. District Judge, Nainital & Ors. [(2008)
7 SCC 770], this Court held: .
H
-
1014 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2009] 7 S.C.R.
~
A "22. The court would not determine a question only on the
basis of sympathy or sentiment. Stricto sensu equity as •
such may not have any role to play."
If the contention raised by Mr. Choudhury is to be accepted,
we will have to interpret sub-section ( 1) of Section 15 in a
B manner which was not contemplated by the Parliament. The Act
does not put an embargo on a female to execute a will. Sub-
section (1) of Section 15 would apply only in a case where a
female Hindu has died intestate. In such a situation, the normal
c
rule of succession as provided for by the statute, in our opinion, •
must prevail.
For the aforementioned purpose, the golden rule of
interpretation must be applied.
11. This Court in Bhagat Ram (Dead) vs. Teja Singh
D [(1999) 4 sec 86], held as under:
.
"6. On perusal of the two Sub-sections we find that tlieir
~
spheres are very clearly marked out. So far Sub-section
(1), it covers the properties of a female Hindu dying
intestate. Sub-section (2) starts with the words
E
'Notwithstanding anything contained in Sub-section (1)'.
In other words, what falls within the sphere of Sub-section
(2), Sub-section (1) will not apply. We find that Section
15(2)(a) uses the words 'any property inherited by a female
Hindu from her father or mother'. Thus property inherited ~
F by a female Hindu from her father and mother is carved-
out from a female Hindu dying intestate. In order words
any property of female Hindu, if inherited by her from her ,
father or mother would not fall under Sub-section (1) of
Section 15. Thus, property of a female Hindu can be
G classified under two heads : Every property of a female
Hindu dying intestate is a general class by itself covering -l
all the properties but Sub-section (2) excludes out of the ,.
aforesaid properties the property inherited by her from
her father or mother.
H
OMPRAKASH & ORS. V. 1015
RADHACHARAN & ORS.[S.B. SINHA, J.]
7. In addition, we find the language used in Section 15(1) A
read with Section 16 makes it clearly, the class who has_
to succeed of property of Hindu female dying intestate.
Sub-section (1) specifically state that the property of a
female Hindu dying intestate shall devolve according to
the rules set out in Section 16. So, in case Sub-section (1) B
applies, then after the death of Santi, lndro can not
inheritance by succession but it would go to the heirs of
the pre-deceased husband of Santi."
12. For the aforementioned reasons, we find no merit in
this appeal. The appeal is dismissed accordingly. However, in C
the facts and circumstances of this case, there shall be no order
as to costs.
D.G. Appeal dismissed.
·+
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