Mary Roy v. State of Kerala
AIR 1986 SC 1011 · Supreme Court of India
Intestate succession among Travancore-Cochin Christians is governed by the Indian Succession Act; discriminatory local regulations cannot cut down equal shares of daughters.
Unit V · Family Law – II (Muslim Law and Other Personal Laws)
Indian Divorce Act and Indian Succession Act (Christians)
Study aid only. Confirm statute numbers with the current bare Act and the official OU LL.B. (3-YDC) 2024–25 syllabus PDF.
Statute sections
| Act / instrument | Section | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Divorce Act, 1869 | 10 | Grounds for dissolution of a Christian marriage |
| Indian Divorce Act, 1869 | 10A | Dissolution of marriage by mutual consent |
| Indian Succession Act, 1925 | 31–49 | Consanguinity and distribution of an intestate Christian's property |
| Indian Succession Act, 1925 | 59–63 | Testamentary succession: who can make a will and how it is executed |
Landmark cases
John Vallamattom v. Union of India
(2003) 6 SCC 611 · Supreme Court of India
Section 118 of the Indian Succession Act, which restricted charitable bequests by Christians, was struck down as violating Article 14.