Supreme Court Clarifies Property Inheritance Rules for Royals

The Supreme Court ruled that private properties of former rulers should pass to heirs per Hindu or Muslim personal laws, rejecting customary laws favoring the eldest male. The case involved Brigadier Sukhjit Singh and his family over the inheritance of Kapurthala properties.

The Supreme Court has issued a landmark decision, stating that the personal properties of former royal figures should be inherited according to Hindu or Muslim personal laws, instead of traditional primogeniture, which typically grants all assets to the eldest male heir.

The ruling came during a civil dispute involving Brigadier Sukhjit Singh of Kapurthala, confronting claims surrounding family estates with his estranged wife, Gita Devi, and their children.

The court clarified that while primogeniture may influence succession to symbolic titles and roles, it doesn’t apply to personal properties recognized post-merger of princely states. Properties will now devolve according to individual religious succession laws.

This decision emphasized that the title of Maharaja, recognized by the state, was largely ceremonial post-independence, and did not confer automatic rights over real estate assets. The court specified how joint properties among family members are subject to division under Hindu law.