In Brief
Munni Devi and heirs of Daulalji appealed a High Court decision dismissing their suit for possession of ancestral house property against Bhonri Devi's legal successors. Bhonri Devi, a widow, had lived in and controlled the property, collecting rent from tenants. The Supreme Court held that a Hindu widow's right to maintenance is a tangible, pre-existing legal right under Shastric law. Where a widow possesses joint family property in lieu of maintenance before the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 came into force, that property automatically becomes her absolute ownership under Section 14(1) of the Act, not limited ownership. The Court affirmed the widow's ownership, dismissing the appeal.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.