Supreme Court to Hindu women: Make wills, avoid family property fights
The Supreme Court has appealed to married Hindu women to make a will if they want their property to go to their own family members or relatives.
This advice comes because, under the current Hindu Succession Act, if a woman passes away without children or a will, her estate passes to her husband's family.
The court brought this up while hearing a case challenging these inheritance rules.
Why the court thinks wills matter
Justices BV Nagarathna and R Mahadevan pointed out that making a will can save families from messy legal battles later on.
They explained that, as things stand, a woman's property is split between her husband and kids first, then her husband's relatives, and only then her own parents—which can easily lead to disputes.
The court also mentioned that any claims by a woman's parents have to go through mediation before heading to court.
Even though some people are questioning whether these laws are fair, the judges said it's up to those directly affected to challenge them in court.