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The short facts necessary for proper understanding of the case are thus:-

One Kehar Singh was the owner of the land admeasuring 280 kanals and 18 marlas in the village Antowali (now in Pakistan). He died prior to partition of India. His widow, Smt. Kirpo and two daughters Smt. Santi and Smt. Indro migrated to India. In lieu of the property owned by Kehar Singh in Pakistan, his widow, Kirpo was allotted some land in India. Kirpo died on 25.12.1951 leaving behind her two daughters Smt. Santi and Smt. Indro. They inherited the property equally. Smt. Santi died in 1960. The property left by her was thereafter mutated in the name of her surviving sister, Smt. Indro. The original appellant, Bhagat Ram (deceased) who had entered into an agreement with Smt. Indro on 12.3.1963, filed a suit for specific performance, which was decreed in his favour. The original respondent in the appeal, Shri Teja Singh (deceased) is the brother of Smt. Santis pre-deceased husband. He filed a suit alleging that, on the death of Smt. Santi in 1960, the property in question devolved on him by virtue of clause (b) of Sub-section (1) of Section 15 of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956. The Trial Court decreed the suit filed by Teja Singh. The appeal filed against the said decree was dismissed.

Bhagat Ram (deceased) then preferred the second appeal before the High Court, which was also dismissed. The High Court held that the property held by Smt. Santi on her death devolved on Teja Singh who was the brother of the pre-deceased husband of Smt. Santi. However, on appeal, this Court by its Judgment dated 31.3.1999 held that the property held by Smt. Santi was the property inherited by her from her mother; therefore, clause (a) of sub-Section (2) of Section 15 is the relevant provision which governed the succession and Teja Singh had no right in the property left by Smt. Santi and that it would only devolve on her sister Smt. Indro.

(e) lastly, upon the heirs of the mother.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-Section (1), -
(a) any property inherited by a female Hindu from her father or mother shall devolve, in the absence of any son or daughter of the deceased (including the children of any pre-deceased son or daughter) not upon the other heirs referred to in sub-Section (1) in the order specified therein but upon the heirs of the father; and
(b) any property inherited by a female Hindu from her husband or from her father-in-law shall devolve, in the absence of any son or daughter of the deceased (including the children of any pre-deceased son or daughter) not upon the other heirs referred to in sub-

We do not find any merit in the contention raised by the Counsel for the respondents. Admittedly, Smt. Santi inherited the property in question from her mother. If the property held by a female was inherited from her father or mother, in the absence of any son or daughter of the deceased, including the children of any pre-deceased son or daughter, it would only devolve upon the heirs of the father and, in this case, her sister Smt. Indro was the only legal heir of her father. Deceased Smt. Santi admittedly inherited the property in question from her mother. It is not necessary that such inheritance should have been after the commencement of the Act. The intent of the Legislature is clear that the property, if originally belonged to the parents of the deceased female, should go to the legal heirs of the father. So also under clause (b) of sub-Section 2 of Section 15, the property inherited by a female Hindu from her husband or her father-in-law, shall also under similar circumstances, devolve upon the heirs of the husband. It is the source from which the property was inherited by the female, which is more important for the purpose of devolution of her property. We do not think that the fact that a female Hindu originally had a limited right and later, acquired the full right, in any way, would alter the rules of succession given in sub-section 2 of Section