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1999 Supreme(Del) 922

High Court Of Delhi
RABINDER SINGH MATHODA - Appellant
Versus
STATE OF DELHI - Respondent
PROB.C.P. 76 of 1985
Decided On : 10/26/1999

Advocates Appeared:
G.S.SISTANI, JASMIT SINGH

The central legal point established in the judgment is the validity of the Will and the fulfillment of legal requirements for the grant of probate and Letters of Administration.

Headnote:

Letters of Administration - Probate of Will - The court found that the Will dated 8.1.1985 was executed in accordance with the law and is the last Will and Testament of the deceased. The petition for grant of Letters of Administration was allowed as there was no opposition and the petitioner fulfilled the legal requirements.

Fact of the Case:

The petitioner filed a petition for the grant of Letters of Administration under Section 270 of the Succession Act for the estate of S. Gurcharan Singh, based on a Will executed by the deceased. The objections initially filed by the widow of the deceased were eventually withdrawn.

Finding of the Court:

The court considered the evidence and found that the Will was executed in accordance with the law and is the last Will and Testament of the deceased. As there was no opposition to the grant of probate, the petition was allowed, and probate of the Will was permitted to be granted to the petitioner.

Issues: Grant of Letters of Administration, Validity of the Will, Opposition to the Grant of Probate

Ratio Decidendi: The court's decision was influenced by the fact that the Will was executed in accordance with the law, and there was no opposition to the grant of probate. The fulfillment of legal requirements by the petitioner also played a significant role in the court's decision.

Final Decision: The petition for the grant of Letters of Administration was allowed, and probate of the Will dated 8.1.1985 was permitted to be granted to the petitioner.

VIKRAMAJIT SEN, J.

( 1 ) THIS is a petition for the grant of Letters of Administration under Section 270 of the Succession Act, in respect of the estate of S. Gurcharan Singh, who is stated to have executed his last Will and Testament on 8. 1,1985 at Delhi. This Wilt has been attested not only by the witnesses mentioned therein but also by a Notary Public. Since no executor is named in the will the Petitioner, who is the maternal nephew of late S. Gurcharan Singh, and one of the legatees, has filed the present petition. The petition has also been signed by Shri Harjit Singh, one of the attesting witnesses, and has been supported by an affidavit of the Petitioner Objections dated 21. 7. 1986,initially filed by Respondent No. 2. who is the widow of late S. Gurcharan Singh, were eventually withdrawn in terms of 1. A. 9567/98, which was duly supported by an affidavit of Respondent No. 2 Consequent thereto-there were no Objectors to the grant of probate of the said Will dated 8. 1. 1985.

( 2 ) THE petitioner Shri Rabinder Singh Mathoda had appeared in the witnessess box and stated that late S. Gurcharan Singh was his maternal uncle. Public Witness. 1 Mr. Birinder Raj Singh, whose statement is contained in S. No. 2210/87, has deposed that on 8. 1. 1985 he was in Delhi and was asked to attest the Will by late S. Gurcharan Singh. He has stated that he did so. He has further stated that Mr. H. S. Bhatia was also present at that time. All three persons had signed at the same time. The Wilt was thereafter exhibited as Exhibit P-1. The statement of Shri Harjit Singh has also been recorded and he has supported the statement of Shri Birinder Raj Singh and he has deposed that Exhibit P-1 was signed by the deceased as well as Shri Birinder Raj Singh and himself in the presence of each other. Other witnesses had also been produced in order to prove the authenticity of the signatures of late S. Gurcharan Singh on Exhibit P-1.

( 3 ) HAVING considered the evidence on the record and the fact that there is no opposition to the grant of probate sought for, I am of the view that the Will dated

8. 1. 1985, Exhibit P-1, was executed by late S. Gurcharan Singh in accordance with law and that it is his last Will and Testament.

( 4 ) ON the averments contained in the petition it has been established that at the time of his death, S. Gurcharan Singh had affixed place of abode in Delhi. Since there is no contention against the application for grant of Letters of Administration, which has been signed and verified as envisaged by law, the petition is allowed. Probate of the will dated 8. 1. 1985 is permitted to be granted to the petitioner subject to petitioner furnishing requisite" Court fee and Administration Bond-with one surety of the like amount.

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