In Brief
A minor inherited an undivided share of ancestral land following his father's death. When adult co-owners proposed a development agreement with a builder, the mother (natural guardian) sought court permission under the Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956 to exchange the land share for a residential flat and ₹10 lakh. Lower courts rejected her application for lack of proven financial desperation. The Supreme Court allowed the appeal, holding that Section 8 requires proof of "evident advantage"—not absolute destitution. Converting illiquid land into a constructed flat plus liquid funds clearly benefits the minor's future. The Court permitted the arrangement subject to safeguards: the cash must be deposited in a bank until majority and further changes require court approval.
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