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Indian Succession Act, 1925 – Section Summary

SectionRuleKey ConceptCase Law
2DefinitionsDefines key terms like will, codicil, executorSeth Beni Chand v Smt. Kamla Kunwar
5Law regulating successionLaw depends on religion and type of propertyMary Roy v State of Kerala
30Testamentary successionProperty can be given by will after deathKasturi v Ponnammal
59Who can make a willAny person of sound mind can make a willBanks v Goodfellow
61Will obtained by fraud or coercionWill is invalid if made under force or cheatingWingrove v Wingrove
62Will may be revoked or alteredWill can be changed anytime before deathChetty v Chetty
63Execution of unprivileged willsWill must be signed and attested by witnessesH. Venkatachala Iyengar v B.N. Thimmajamma
64Incorporation of documentsOther documents can be part of will if referredAllen v Maddock
68Proof of execution of willAt least one witness must prove will in courtJaswant Kaur v Amrit Kaur
70Revocation of willWill can be revoked by writing or destroying itLalitaben Jayantilal Popat v Pragnaben Jamnadas Kataria
74Wording of willNo special words needed if intention is clearNavneet Lal v Gokul
75Void bequestsSome gifts in will can be invalidTagore v Tagore
82Meaning of clausesCourt tries to understand true intention of testator (person making will)Navneet Lal v Gokul
87Effect of invalid clauseInvalid part does not cancel whole willRaj Bajrang Bahadur Singh v Thakurain Bakhtraj Kuer
90Property not existing at deathGift fails if property does not exist at deathDoe v Lancashire
105Lapse of legacyGift fails if beneficiary dies before testatorRe Estate of Parsons
107Class giftsGift to a group is shared among surviving membersRe Leeming
111Time of vestingGift takes effect after death of testatorRameshwar v Balraj
119Condition precedentGift takes effect only if condition is fulfilledSita Ram v Radha Bai
120Condition subsequentGift may end if condition is brokenGhulam Abbas v Razia Begum
122Void conditionsIllegal or impossible conditions are voidTagore v Tagore
141Legatee’s titleBeneficiary gets full right after testator’s deathKali Prasad v Ram Gopal
211Executor’s rightExecutor represents estate of deceasedMrs. Hem Nolini Judah v Mrs. Isolyne Sarojbashini Bose
213Probate requiredWill must be proved in court for certain personsClarence Pais v Union of India
222Probate granted only to executorOnly named executor can get probateGanshamdoss Narayandoss v Gulab Bi Bai
227Effect of probateProbate proves will from date of deathSurinder Kumar v Gian Chand
232Grant of administrationCourt appoints person if no executorKrishna Kumar Birla v Rajendra Singh Lodha
263Revocation of probateProbate can be cancelled for valid reasonsAnil Behari Ghosh v Latika Bala Dassi