Allahbad High Court
GOPINATH
Pitmo - Appellant
Versus
Shyam Singh - Respondent
Decided On : 12/21/1977
SUCCESSION CERTIFICATE - GRANT - PROBATE OR LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION - NOT NECESSARY - HINDU WILL - S. 370, 213, 57 OF THE INDIAN SUCCESSION ACT, 1925.
Fact of the Case:
The plaintiff applied for a succession certificate based on a will allegedly executed by Smt. Jai Dei in his favor. The trial court rejected the application, finding the will was not duly executed. On appeal, the lower appellate court reversed the finding and granted the certificate.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that a succession certificate could be granted without probate or letters of administration in respect of a Hindu will that did not fall under clauses (a) and (b) of Section 57 of the Indian Succession Act, 1925.
Issues: Whether a succession certificate could be granted without probate or letters of administration in respect of a Hindu will.
Ratio Decidendi: Section 370 of the Indian Succession Act, 1925 bars the grant of a succession certificate without probate or letters of administration only in cases where Sections 212 and 213 apply. Section 213, which requires probate or letters of administration for the establishment of a right under a will, does not apply to Hindu wills that do not fall under clauses (a) and (b) of Section 57.
Final Decision: The revision petition was dismissed, and the grant of the succession certificate was upheld.
2. Aggrieved the defendant has come up in revision. The only question raised by Sri K. B. L. Gour learned counsel for the defendant applicant was that no succession certificate could be granted by the court below without the grant of probate or letters of administration in respect of the will. He has relied on the provisions of S. 370 of the Indian Succession Act.
Section 370 reads as follows :-
" Section 370 (1) A succession certificate (hereinafter in this part referred to as a certificate) shall not be granted under this part with respect to any debt or security to which a right is required by S. 212 or S. 213 to be established by letters of administration or probate : Provided that nothing contained in this section shall be deemed to prevent the grant of a certificate to any person claiming to be entitled to the effects." Section 213 provides as follows :-
" (1) No right as executor or legatee can be established in any Court of Justice, unless a Court of competent jurisdiction in India has granted probate of the will under which the right is claimed, or has granted letters of administration with the will or with a copy of an authenticated copy of the will annexed.
(2) This section shall not apply in the case of wills made by Muhammadans, and shall not apply :-
(i) in the case of wills made by any Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh or Jaina where such wills are of the classes specified in clauses (a) and (b) of S. 57, and
(ii) in the case of the wills made by any Parsi dying, after the commencement of the Indian Succession (Amendment) Act, 1962, where such wills are made within the local limits of the ordinary original civil jurisdiction of the High Courts at Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay, and where such wills are made outside those limits, in so far as they relate to immoveable, property situated within those limits." Section 57 of the Act states :-
" The provisions of this part which are set out in Schedule III shall, subject to the restrictions and modifications specified therein, apply :-
(a) to all wills and codicils made by any Hindu, Buddisht, Sikh or Jaina, on or after the first day of September, 1870, within the territories which at the said date were subject to the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal or within the local limits of the ordinary original civil jurisdiction of the High Courts of judicature at Madras and Bombay, and
(b) to all such wills and codicils made outside those territories and limits so far as relates to immovable property situated within those territories or limits; and
(c) to all wills and codicils made by any Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and Jaina on or after the first day of January, 1927, to which those provisions are not applied by clauses (a) and (b)."
Thus a probate is not necessary for the establishment of a right under a will by a Hindu where the provisions of clauses (a) and (b) of S. 57 are not attracted. Clause (a) of S. 57 is admittedly not attracted here and clause (b) is also not attracted bec
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