Inheritance, succession and authority

Inheritance decides who gets land, a house, jewellery and business assets, and succession decides who takes over authority when a household head dies or retires. These rules shape gender equality, sibling relations and the survival of joint families far more than sentiment alone. For example, the Hindu Succession Amendment of 2005 made daughters coparceners in ancestral property, yet many women still relinquish claims to preserve brotherly relations. This chapter explains inheritance, succession, authority and the gap between law and practice.