Metpalli Lasum Bai (Since Dead) and Others v. Metpalli Muthaiah (D) by LRs
- Vaishnavi Majji
- 16 hours ago
- 1 min read
On 21st July 2025, the Hon’ble Supreme Court delivered a notable judgment in Metpalli Lasum Bai (Since Dead) and Others v. Metpalli Muthaiah (D) by LRs, underscoring the evidentiary strength of registered Wills and the legal recognition of oral family settlements.
The case arose out of a property dispute involving ancestral lands originally owned by Ramanna, and later inherited by his son Rajanna. During his lifetime, Rajanna executed a registered Will in favour of his second wife, Lasum Bai, and also made an oral family settlement distributing portions of property. Following Rajanna’s death, his son from the first marriage, Muthaiah, challenged the Will, claiming the property was joint family property and that Lasum Bai’s share had been overstated. The Hon’ble Andhra Pradesh High Court partly accepted his arguments, diminishing Lasum Bai’s rights.
The Hon’ble Supreme Court, however, restored the Trial Court’s decree. It held that a registered Will carries a presumption of genuineness, and once signatures are admitted, the burden of proof lies on the challenger to establish suspicious circumstances. Muthaiah failed to discharge this burden. The Court also upheld the oral family settlement, noting that it was supported by possession patterns, mutation entries, and transactions consistent with the distribution. Importantly, it observed that the Will and the settlement complemented each other, rather than conflicting.
This judgment reinforces that Courts must respect testamentary freedom when a valid Will exists. It further affirms the legitimacy of bona fide family settlements in succession disputes.
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