Name of the Case: Ram Charan & Ors. v. Sukhram & Ors.
Citation: 2025 INSC 865
Hon’ble Supreme Court’s Bench: Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Sanjay Karol
Date: 17.07.2025
In a significant ruling addressing succession rights of tribal women, the Hon’ble Supreme Court held that in the absence of a proven custom excluding women from inheritance, the principles of justice, equity, and good conscience must be applied to protect their heirs. The Hon’ble court further asserted that even if such a custom was in existence, it cannot remain stuck in time and be used to deprive others of their rights. In the present case, there existed a dispute over the ancestral property claimed by the legal heirs of a tribal woman, which was rejected by the lower courts citing the non-applicability of the Hindu Succession Act to Scheduled Tribes.
The Hon’ble Apex Court clarified that mere absence of statutory rights shall not lead to an absolute denial of rights, especially in the absence of any customary bar. Emphasising the constitutional values under Articles 14 and 15, the Hon’ble Court ruled against any form of gender-based exclusion and granted an equal share in the ancestral property to the legal heirs of the tribal woman, further reaffirming the judiciary’s role in safeguarding equality and dignity1.
