In Brief
The Supreme Court held that a widow of a son is entitled to claim maintenance from her deceased father-in-law's estate under the Hindu Adoptions & Maintenance Act, 1956, even if she becomes widowed after the father-in-law's death. The Court rejected the Family Court's restrictive interpretation and upheld the High Court's decision. Reading Section 21(vii) literally, the statute says "widow of his son," not "widow of his predeceased son." The timing of widowhood is irrelevant. Restricting maintenance based on when widowhood occurs would be arbitrary and violate constitutional equality guarantees and the right to dignified life.
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