3 Review(s)

The 1956 Act unified intestate succession among Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Jains—abolishing female limited estate and introducing orderly Class I, II, agnates, and cognates hierarchies.Made clear distinctions between coparcenary (ancestral) and separate property, replacing vague sapinda and survivorship constructs.Section 6 was overhauled so daughters, like sons, become coparceners at birth with equal rights and liabilities.Replaced by notional partition, thus eliminating exclusive male inheritance.Added descendants of pre-deceased daughters/sons (four new categories).Recent legal commentaries—e.g., Bharat’s Commentary (Jain) and B Malik’s 5th edn. (Bharat Law House)—offer exhaustive analysis of each section, up-to-date case law, and practical guidance on partition, disqualification, and modern challenges.