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November 2023

Genuineness of A Will: Supreme Court Lays Down Guidelines

By Dr Anup P Shah, Chartered Accountant
Reading Time 14 mins

INTRODUCTION

A probate means a copy of the Will certified by the seal of a Court. A probate of a Will establishes the genuineness and finality of a Will and validates all the acts of the executors. It conclusively proves the validity of the Will, and after a probate has been granted no claim can be raised about the genuineness or otherwise of the Will.

The most important question in relation to any Will, irrespective of whether a probate is required, is whether the Will is genuine. If a Will is forged / fraudulent, then it does not transmit the estate of the deceased to the beneficiaries named in the Will. The issue of determining the authenticity of a Will has been one which has been a perennial source of litigation. Several judgments of the Supreme Court have shed light on this issue. The Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Meena Pradhan vs. Kamla Pradhan, CA No. 3351/2014 Order dated 21st September, 2023, has laid down the principles which the Courts should consider in this respect.

TESTS LAID DOWN BY THE SC

In the above-mentioned decision on Meena Pradhan vs. Kamla Pradhan, the Supreme Court laid down 9 important tests to determine the validity of a Will. It held that

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