As a daughter, you have the same inheritance rights as a son of your generation. Thus, a daughter has the same inheritance rights as a son; a granddaughter has essentially the same inheritance rights as a grandson, and so on. In most cases, the daughter is entitled to inherit the same share of her ancestors' Property as a son of the same generation is. Marriage does not affect a daughter's inheritance rights. A married daughter has the same right to Property as an unmarried daughter. 

In India, the Law of Inheritance varies based on religion. The religion of the deceased governs, which Law of Inheritance will apply. Thus, Hindu Inheritance Law applies to the death of a Hindu, Christian Inheritance Law applies to the death of a Christian, Muslim Inheritance Law applies to a Muslim's death, etc.

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Hindu Property Law for Daughters

Both sons, and daughters, are equally capable of acquiring, holding, and disposing of their own property. There is almost complete equality between sons and daughters in this regard. 

Over the past century, the Hindu Law of Succession has seen a significant development in the realm of inheritance. Indian property law for married daughter gave equal property rights compared to married sons. Through subsequent legislation and revisions, discrimination against daughters has been eliminated. After the enactment of the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act of 2005, sons and daughters have nearly identical property rights. 

Equal Rights of Daughters in Joint Family Property

In Hindu Law, for the purpose of inheritance, Property is classified into two types: (1) Joint Family Property and (2) Self-Acquired Property. Essentially, all Property inherited by a son from their father, paternal grandfather, and paternal great-grandfather is considered Joint Family Property. All other Property is considered Self-Acquired Property. Depending on where you reside in India, the character of these types of properties is either the same or different. In regions where this distinction is followed: 

1. Joint Family Property is inherited differently (compared to Self-Acquired Property). 

2. Multiple persons have rights over the Joint Family Property by birth. This is unlike Self-Acquired Property, over which rights can be acquired only if you have acquired them yourself. 

The rights of both sons, and daughters, to inherit, acquire, hold, and dispose of the Self-Acquired Property of their ancestors is essentially the same everywhere.  

In regions where this distinction is maintained, daughters have not had the same rights as sons in Joint Family Property for a considerable period of time. In terms of both their rights to control the property and their rights to inherit it, daughters lagged behind sons. Over the past century, law after legislation has gradually diminished this inequity. With the passage of the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act of 2005, sons and daughters now have equal rights to inherit their forefathers' Joint Family Property.

Those who read this Article also Consulted a Lawyer about Inheritance rights of Daughter. 

In 2020, the Supreme Court decision on property rights of daughters, Vineeta Sharma vs. Rakesh Sharma, confirmed that sons, and daughters, indeed have exactly the same rights in the Joint Family Property. The inheritance rights of the daughter do not change on her marriage, the death of her husband, the death of her father, or anything else for that matter. Hence, the case used what has now become a famous expression: "once a daughter, always a daughter." Thus, an unmarried daughter and a married daughter are all entitled to the same property rights in the Joint Family Property of their parents. A daughter-in-law is too entitled to inherit her father-in-law's Property. This rule holds true for a widowed daughter-in-law as well. As long as the daughter is alive, she is entitled to control and inherit her ancestors' Joint Family Property at par with a son.

The Indian Succession Act, 1925 governs the making and enforcing of Wills. It is the law which governs testamentary succession in India. Indian Succession Act, 1925 applies to everyone, except Muslims. Muslims are governed by their own personal laws. A Will gives you freedom to distribute your property according to your wishes.  However, if you are a Muslim, you cannot bequeath by a Will any more than 1/3 of your estate unless your legal heirs' consent to exceed this cap. There is no such limitation for anyone else.

You can execute your Will in accordance with the Indian Succession Act, 1925, if you are not a Muslim. If you are a Muslim, you have to execute your Will according to the Muslim personal laws. Capture the will in writing and sign it. You can also affix your thumb impression on the Will. Two witnesses need to attest the Will. These witnesses should have seen you sign the Will. A Will can be executed on plain paper. A Will need not be executed on a stamp paper. It is also not necessary to be registered.

Muslims can execute their Wills through a far easier procedure. Your Will need not be signed or written. It can even be oral. There is no need for attesting witnesses. You need to make your intent clear through your Will. However, oral wills are difficult to prove. Hence, It is preferable to capture your will in writing. 

After one passes away, a person should be made responsible to execute the will. Typically, lawyers are given this responsibility.  When another person implements the instructions given in the Will of a deceased, it is called executing the Will. The person who executes the Will is called an executor. Executors take care that the estate is distributed in accordance with the Will. There can be multiple executors. You can choose one person or more than one person to act as executors of your Will.  Remember to take their consent. Choosing an executor should be a careful process. If you don't appoint an executor, or the executors refuse to act as executors after your death, the competent court can appoint some of your legal heirs as the executor[s].

Intestate Succession

If you die without leaving a Will, your property would pass on through Intestate succession. Laws governing intestate succession in India are not uniform. You are governed by the personal law of your religion. 

Various religions in India are governed by a variety of varying laws of intestate succession. For example, the Hindu Succession Act of 1956 is the law that regulates the intestate succession of Hindus. The Indian Succession Act of 1925 is the piece of legislation that regulates the intestate succession of Christians. Hence, the Hindu Succession Act, which was passed in 1956, will apply to you if you are a Hindu; if you are Christian, the Indian Succession Act, which was passed in 1925, will apply to you; and so on. Although the rules that govern many religions are not always the same, the fundamental requirements of every law are the same. There are going to be some new people who own your estate when you pass away. These individuals are considered to be your lawful heirs.

Each legal heir will inherit a specific share of your estate. The applicable Law of Intestate Succession will hence specify both your legal heirs and the shares of your estate each legal heir is entitled to inherit.

Take, for example, the situation of a married Hindu male. If you are a married man in the Hindu religion, your wife, any sons or daughters you may have, as well as your mother, are your legal heirs. They will each take an equal portion of the estate you leave behind. In the event that you pass away and leave behind a son, a daughter, and a wife, each of them will be entitled to an equal portion of the inheritance. If your daughter has already passed away but is survived by her own daughter, then your grand-daughter will also have a right to the property because of her mother, who was also a previous owner.

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Hindu Law of Succession

The Hindu Law of Succession is contained in the following three sources: 

1. The Indian Succession Act, 1925, which governs the testamentary succession of the estate of a Hindu. 

2. The Hindu Succession Act, 1956, which governs the intestate succession of the estate of a Hindu. 

3. The succession of Hindu Joint Family Property, in almost the whole of India except some eastern regions, continues to be governed by ancient religious rules. This is quite a small portion of the Hindu Law of Succession. 

Succession in Hindu Law makes a distinction between two types of Property: (1) Joint Family Property and (2) Self-Acquired Property. In almost all parts of India except portions of the eastern region, the rules of succession governing Joint Family Property, and Self-Acquired Property, are different.  

The Hindu Succession Amendment Act of 2005 has now started giving daughters also succession rights. 

Those who read this Article also Consulted a Lawyer about Succession and Wills. 

The Indian Succession Act, 1925

The Indian Succession Act 1925, is one of the oldest Indian statutes governing succession. It governs intestate succession for Christians, Parsis, and some other religions. 

However, the Indian Succession Act is special for two other reasons. 

1. It is the uniform law that governs testamentary succession for all religions except Islam. Hence, unless you are a Muslim, the entire process of preparing and executing a will, beginning from you authoring it to your wishes in it being carried out, will be governed by the Indian Succession Act, 1925. 

2. Even in cases of intestate succession controlled by other religious laws, the Indian Succession Act has a role to play in some respects. For instance, the Act contains the procedure for appointing administrators for your estate. Administrators are responsible for distributing your estate to your legal heirs. Another important function is, succession certificates are issued under the Indian Succession Act. A Succession Certificate issued to a particular person will establish that they are entitled to succeed as a part of your estate.

Conclusion:
 

In conclusion, succession laws play a significant role in ensuring that a deceased person's property is distributed to their heirs in a manner that is both equitable and compliant with the law. Even though the rules may change from country to country or state to state, it is critical to have an understanding of how they operate in order to avoid disagreements and misunderstandings over the distribution of assets. If you want to make sure that your assets go to the people you want them to when you pass away, it's necessary to seek the guidance of an attorney and have a will that's been drawn up carefully. If you are familiar with the laws governing succession, you will be able to make well-informed choices and plan effectively for the future, which will provide you and your loved ones more peace of mind. 

You inherit property when your parents or grandparents, or any other relative pass away. This inheritance can either be through a will or intestate succession. Intestate succession means that the property will pass on to your legal heirs through rules created by the laws of succession. Different personal laws govern the rights of heirs to an estate. Many people do not know how inheritance rights function and this lack of knowledge leads to issues during partition or succession. Through this article, we will tell you how heirs' rights to property function in India. 

The Right to Inherit Property

Before we discuss the heir property rights, it is essential to understand the two types of property. Typically, a property is of two types: 

• Ancestral property: Such property is passed on through generations. An heir typically has a right over an ancestral property by his birth. 

• Self-acquired property: A self-acquired property is a property that the owner has earned through his efforts. 

A property becomes your own only when you can legitimately claim to exercise some rights over it. For instance, your neighbor's house is not your property because you don't have any rights over it. However, your own house is your property because you can legitimately exercise some rights over it. Thus, acquiring a property means becoming capable of exercising some rights over it. 

Property can be acquired in many ways. You can enter into an agreement with another person, such as a sale deed for the sale of their land to you, and thus acquire that property. There are many other such modes. Inheritance is one of them. Thus, when you inherit a property, the consequence is that you will be able to exercise some rights over it. 

As mentioned above, the Law of Inheritance will decide who the new owners of your estate will be. Certain persons will inherit defined shares of your estate. These persons are known as your' heirs'. Each of your heirs will have a right in your estate. 

Illustration — According to the applicable Law of Inheritance, your son S, daughter D, and mother M are your successors. Each of them is entitled to inherit 1/3 of your estate. Thus, S, D, and M will each have the right to inherit 1/3 of your estate. These are the inheritance rights of S, D, and M about your estate. Once inheritance occurs, S, D, and M will have acquired 1/3 of your estate each. 

The Law of Inheritance in India

There is no uniform Law of Inheritance in India. Instead, the Law of Inheritance varies based on one's religion. A small part of the Law of Inheritance is the same for all religions. However, the vast majority of it varies by religion. Thus, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Parsis, etc., are each governed by their largely by their own, unique Laws of Inheritance. 

The religion of the deceased governs, which Law of Inheritance will govern the succession of their estate. Thus, when a Hindu dies, then the succession of their estate will be governed by the Hindu Law of Inheritance; when a Muslim dies, then the succession of their estate will be governed by the Muslim Law of Inheritance, and so on. 

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Inheritance Rights in Parents' Property

As a child, you generally have the right to inherit some portion of your parents' property. However, your parents are perfectly capable of varying your share, or depriving you of your full share (thus completely disinheriting you), by executing a Will to this effect. 

In India, the traditional mindset has excluded women's rights in parents' property. Before 2005, a daughter was only a member of the family and not a coparcener. A coparcener has the right to inherit the property; a member does not. A member can only ask for maintenance. After 2005, now daughters have also become coparceners and have an equal right to inherit parents' property.

Classically, in some religions, a daughter's marriage deprived them of their right to inherit their parents' property. However, this is no longer the case. Today, marriage alone will not affect your inheritance rights. A married daughter has the same rights to inherit her parents' property as an unmarried daughter does. 

Those who read this Article also Consulted a Lawyer about Property inheritance process. 

Women's Inheritance Rights in India

Women, before 2005, were looked upon as members and not coparceners. Hence, they did not have a right to inherit the property. Let us understand women's inheritance rights in India vis-à-vis the different positions women hold in the family: 

Wife: A wife is entitled to her husband's property. A woman's property rights do not vary after her husband's death. 

Daughter: After 2005, if you are a daughter, you are also a coparcener in your father's property and hence have a right to inherit property. Today, your gender as a woman alone is of little consequence. As a woman, you have more or less the same inheritance rights as a man of your generation. Thus, a woman has essentially the same inheritance rights in her parents' property as a son; a granddaughter has essentially the same inheritance rights in her grandparents' property as a grandson, and so on. A woman can acquire, and hold, property at par with a man. Marriage generally does not deprive a woman of her inheritance rights. 

While rules of Intestate Succession govern the distribution of a property where no will is left behind, it is preferable that you take legal help and prepare and register a Will. Inheritance through a Will is easier and smoother.

1. Testamentary Succession: You may choose to execute a Will. The Will, by definition, will specify who will inherit what shares of your estate. In such a case, succession will take place according to the instructions contained in your Will. When succession takes place in this manner, it is known as testamentary succession. 

2. Intestate Succession: You may also choose not to execute a Will. However, someone must still inherit your property. The Law of Inheritance has a built-in contingency for such cases. The law specifies certain persons as your legal heirs, who are entitled to defined shares of your estate after your death. When succession takes place in this manner, it is known as intestate succession. 

Succession will be either testamentary or intestate. It cannot be both at the same time. If you leave behind a Will, the succession of your estate will be testamentary. If you don’t, it will be intestate. 

Legal Inheritance of Property

Testamentary Succession

Testamentary succession will occur if you leave behind a Will. 

Every mentally sound adult is capable of executing a Will. A Will is a legal document that contains instructions to govern the inheritance of your estate. It will specify (i) who will be entitled to your estate and (ii) the shares of your estate each of them will be entitled to. The persons who are entitled to inherit under your Will are known as your legatees. Any person can be a legatee, even a person who is not your relative. 

The Indian Succession Act, 1925 is the uniform Law of Testamentary Succession which governs everyone except Muslims. Muslims are governed by their own Muslim Law of Testamentary Succession. 

You have practically unlimited discretion to decide, your legatees and the shares of your estate each will inherit. Generally, all of your property can be bequeathed by a Will. However, if you are a Muslim, then you cannot bequeath by a Will any more than 1/3 of your estate, unless your legal heirs consent to exceeding this cap. There is no such limitation for anyone else. 

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The manner of executing a Will differs, based on whether you are governed by the Indian Succession Act, 1925 or the Muslim Law of Testamentary Succession: 

1. Unless you are a Muslim, you must follow the procedure in the Indian Succession Act to execute a Will. The Will must be written, and you must sign or affix your thumb impression on it. It must be attested by at least two witnesses who have seen you sign it. A Will can be executed on plain paper. It is not necessary to execute it on stamp paper. It is also not necessary to be registered. 

2. If you are a Muslim, there is an even simpler procedure to execute a Will. Your Will need not be signed or written. It can even be oral. There is no need for attesting witnesses. The only requirement is that your intention should be clear. However, oral wills are notoriously difficult to prove. Hence, it is always prudent to execute your Will in writing, even though it is unnecessary. 

After your death, someone has to take the responsibility of carrying out the instructions in your Will. This process is known as the execution of the Will, and the person who does it is known as the executor. They will ensure that the specified shares of your estate are bequeathed to the respective legatees. There can be multiple executors. You have the option to specify the sole executor, or co-executors, of your Will in the Will itself. Remember to take their consent. Do give some thought to your choice of an executor, as this person will be the one responsible for executing your Will. If you don’t appoint an executor, or the executors refuse to act as executors after your death, the competent court can appoint some of your legal heirs as the executor[s]. 

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Intestate Succession

Intestate succession will occur if you don’t leave behind a Will. The applicable Law of Intestate Succession will govern the succession of your estate. 

There is no uniform Law of Intestate Succession in India. Rather, it varies based on one’s religion. Thus, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Parsis, etc., are all governed by their own separate Laws of Intestate Succession. For instance, the law for Hindus is contained in the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, the law for Christians is contained in the Indian Succession Act, 1925, etc. 

Your religion will determine which Law of Intestate Succession will govern the succession of your estate. Thus, if you are a Hindu, then the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 will govern; if you are a Christian, then the Indian Succession Act, 1925 will govern, etc. 

Regardless of which Law of Intestate Succession applies, at the highest level, all of them operate similarly: each of your legal heirs will inherit specific shares of your estate. The legal heirs, and the shares they are each entitled to, will vary based on the number of legal heirs alive and their relationship with each other. For instance, consider a married Hindu male. If you are a Hindu married male, ordinarily, your wife, sons, daughters, and mother are your legal heirs. They will each take an equal share of your estate. Thus, if you are survived by a wife, mother, one son, and one daughter, each of them will take a ¼ of your estate. However, if your daughter is dead, but she is survived by her only daughter (your grand-daughter), the grand-daughter will become an additional legal heir entitled to her mother’s share. Thus, she will inherit ¼ of your estate.  

Hence, the inheritance of property in India is a complex process, and in the absence of a will, is governed by property succession laws. 

There is no uniform inheritance property law in India. The law of Inheritance varies based on one's religion. Thus, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Parsis, etc., are governed by their own separate inheritance laws. 

The religion of the deceased determines the law of inheritance that will govern the succession of their estate. Hence, when a Hindu dies, then the Hindu law of inheritance and succession applies to his estate.

Inheritance Property Law in India

 Succession under Hindu law is found in two laws: the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, and the Indian Succession Act, 1925. These laws govern who the estate of a Hindu deceased will pass to on their death. 

When Can a Widow Inherit Her Father-in-Law's Property?

(Those who read this Article also Consulted a Lawyer about Property inheritance law.) 

Inheritance/succession is of two types:

1. Testamentary Succession: When the deceased leaves behind a will, the instructions in the will alone govern the deceased's property's succession. Such succession is called testamentary succession. The Indian Succession Act, 1925, governs testamentary succession.

2. Intestate Succession: In other cases, the deceased does not leave behind a Will. In such cases, the law decides which persons the estate of the deceased will succeed to. When succession takes place in this manner, it is known as intestate succession. The Hindu Succession Act, 1956 governs intestate succession.

Depending on the circumstances, a widow can inherit her father-in-law's property through both these modes. 

By Testamentary Succession 

It is possible for anyone who is of legal age and of sound mind to draught and carry out a will. A testator is a person who is responsible for carrying out the terms of a will. When someone writes a will, they indicate in it who will inherit their assets once they pass away. This is the definition of a will. The individuals who benefit from the will are referred to as the legatees of the will. A testator has nearly unrestricted discretion to choose the legatees of their will (who do not need to be members of their family or relations) as well as the manner in which their fortune will be distributed among the legatees.

Thus, if the deceased father-in-law has left behind a Will, and that Will specifies that a widow will be a legatee of a specified share of his estate, the widow will be entitled to inherit that share of the father-in-law's estate. 

On the contrary, there is also a corresponding risk. If the deceased father-in-law has left behind a Will, but the Will has not allotted a share of his estate to the widow, then the widow cannot claim any share of the deceased's estate. 

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By Intestate Succession

If the deceased Hindu has not left behind a Will, the succession of their estate will be governed by the rules contained in the Hindu Succession Act, 1956. 

Under Hindu Law, the property is of two types: Joint Family property and Self-Acquired property. 

1. Joint Family Property: All property inherited from one's ancestors is considered Joint Family Property. 

2. Self-Acquired Property: All other properties are considered the Self-Acquired Property of the respective person. The clearest indication of Self-Acquired Property is that its has been acquired with the money of one's own efforts. 

The widow will be entitled to inherit a share of the Self-Acquired Property owned by the father-in-law. His Class I heirs will be the ones to inherit the Self-Acquired Property that the decedent's father-in-law had acquired over his lifetime. The Hindu Succession Act, which was passed in 1956, has a schedule in which the list of Class I heirs is included. A Class I heir is the widow of the deceased person's son who passed away before the deceased person did. Other important members of Class I include the decedent's wife, as well as his mother, kids, and daughters. As a result, there is no question that the widow will be entitled to a portion of the father-in-Self-Acquired law's Property. Nonetheless, the amount of her inheritance from her father-in-Self-Acquired law's Property is going to be proportional to the number of Class I heirs who are still alive.

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The share will be determined by this process: 

1. The deceased's widow, sons, daughters, and mother take equal shares of the property. 

2. If any son, or daughter, of the deceased, has died before him, then the share of that son/daughter will be divided amongst their widow, sons, and daughters. In the case of a son, his sons and daughters will take one share, and his widow will take the second share, of that son's share. 

Thus, the widow of the father-in-law will take her share in Step 2. The extent of her share will depend on how many of the father-in-law's sons and daughters and mothers, and the widow's own sons and daughters, are alive. 

Illustration— The deceased X (the father-in-law) has been survived by his only daughter D, mother M, and the widow W of a son who died before him. This widow W has a single daughter WD of her own. 

1. The Self-Acquired Property of the deceased will be divided equally amongst his mother M, dead son, and daughter D. Thus, D, M, and the dead son each get 1/3 of the property. 

2. The 1/3 share of the dead son will then be divided equally amongst his widow W and the daughter WD of the widow. Thus, the widow W and her daughter WD both get 1/6 of the deceased's property each. 

Hence, the widow is entitled to inherit 1/6 of the self-acquired property of the father-in-law. 

Indian inheritance law gives more rights to a daughter than a daughter-in-law in father-in-law's property. The widow would be entitled to her deceased husband's share in an intestate succession. 

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Conclusion: 

In conclusion, the laws governing inheritance can be complicated and can vary a great deal depending on the jurisdiction as well as the particulars of each individual case. Although it is not unheard of for widows to inherit their father-in-property, law's the legal framework that governs inheritance must be thoroughly understood and obeyed in order to eliminate the possibility of difficulties and disagreements arising from the situation. It is necessary for everyone who is interested in inheriting property to speak with a competent legal professional to ensure that their rights are safeguarded and that they completely grasp the obligations that come with inheriting property under the law. Open communication and a thorough estate plan that elucidates both the wishes of the person who has passed away and the rights of the inheritors are, in the end, the best ways to ensure that the process of inheriting something goes off without a hitch and run smoothly.

Intestate succession means a succession without a Will. A will generally dictates how a person plans to transfer his assets or properties after his death to his/her heirs. A person dies intestate when he has not bequeathed his properties according to a will. Succession can either be testate or intestate. 

Meaning of Testate Succession

In some cases, a person leaves behind a Will, which specifies property distribution after their death. In such cases, the Will controls succession.

When succession takes place in this manner, it is known as testamentary succession. 

Meaning of Intestate Succession

In other situations, a person dies without a will. In these situations, intestate succession law is used to decide who gets what. So, the people who have the right to the dead person's property are the dead person's legal heirs. In India, the law that applies to a person's estate after they die depends on their religion. Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Parsis, and others have different rules about how to pass on property. When a person dies without a will, this is called "intestate succession."

Those who read this Article also Consulted a Lawyer about Will. 

Intestate Succession under Hindu Law

If the deceased is a Hindu, Hindu Succession law will govern the succession. The Hindu Law of Intestate Succession is in the Hindu Succession Act, 1956. 

Two Types of Property

Under Hindu Law, the property is of two types: 

1. Joint Family Property: The Hindu Joint Family is an ancient social structure prevailing in Indian society. In Hindu Law, specific properties are considered Joint Family Property. Generally, all property inherited from one's father, paternal grandfather, and paternal great-grandfather are considered Joint Family Property. 

2. Self-Acquired Property: All other properties are considered the Self-Acquired Property of the respective person. The most unambiguous indication of Self-Acquired Property is that it is acquired with the money of one's efforts.

This distinction is important because, depending on where you reside, different rules govern the succession of Joint Family Property and Self-Acquired Property. 

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The succession of Joint Family Property

Depending on where you live, either Dayabhaga Law or Mitakshara Law will govern you. Mitakshara Law rules most Hindus who live in West Bengal, Orissa, and parts of Assam. Mitakshara Law also rules all other Hindus. Both of these terms refer to old schools of Hindu religious law that were the norm in their respective areas. Once upon a time, the majority of Hindu succession was decided by these schools of law. There isn't much point to them now. In terms of the law, the only thing that matters right now is figuring out the order of intestate succession. 

Section 6 of the Hindu Succession Act governs the Mitakshara Joint Family Property's succession. When a coparcener dies, their share in the Joint Family Property passes to the legal heirs according to the rules contained in this Section. The process is as follows: 

1. You divide the whole joint family property amongst the deceased and their legal heirs. Usually, the deceased, their wife, their children (both sons and daughters), and their parents get equal shares.

2. The share the deceased person receives becomes his self-acquired property. This share passes to the deceased's legal heirs according to the rules governing Self-Acquired Property's succession (see below).

The succession of Self-Acquired Property

The rules governing the succession of Self-Acquired Property of the deceased varies based on the gender of the deceased. However, the same rules apply to all Hindus regardless of whether Dayabhaga Law or Mitakshara Law governs them. 

There are four types of legal heirs for men who are Hindu: Class I heirs, Class II heirs, agnates, and cognates. The Hindu Succession Act of 1956 has a list of who is in Class I and who is in Class II. An agnate is a descendant of the deceased through a pure male line who is neither a Class I nor a Class II heir. A cognate is someone who is neither a Class I nor a Class II heir, but is a descendant of the deceased through a line of both males and females. The order of who gets self-acquired property when there is no will is as follows:

1. Class I Heirs: If any Class I heir[s] exist, they get the deceased's whole Self-Acquired Property. If more than one such heir exists, they both get equal shares. The deceased's wife, sons, daughters, and mother are notable Class I heirs. However, the father of the deceased is not a Class I heir. 

2. Class II Heirs: If not a single Class I heir exists, the whole Self-Acquired Property of the deceased goes to the Class II heirs. The deceased's father, brothers, and sisters are notable Class II heirs. If the father is alive, he takes the whole property. If he isn't alive, then the brothers and sisters take the property in equal shares. 

3. Agnates: If there are no Class I and Class II heirs, the deceased's agnates take the whole of the Self-Acquired Property. 

4. Cognates: If there are no Class I and Class II heirs, the deceased's cognates take the whole of the Self-Acquired Property. 

Female Hindus are subject to a different set of restrictions. In the case of female Hindus, the sequence of legal heirs is as follows: I sons, daughters, and husband; (ii) heirs of the husband; (iii) parents; (iv) heirs of the father; and (vi) heirs of the mother. In that order of preference, each category is favoured over the others. The property is divided equally among all heirs of the same class. 

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Position of Illegitimate Children

In the event of the death of both parents, an illegitimate child's right to inherit would pass solely to his mother. A child's mother, but not his father, is entitled to inherit on his behalf in the event of his mother's death.

Those who read this Article also Consulted a Lawyer about Property inhritance rights.