Bengaluru: The High Court has dismissed the petition filed by a person (husband of the deceased’s first daughter) seeking to declare himself the legal heir to represent and protect the interests of the deceased’s property as the deceased father-in-law had four daughters.

A bench of Justice Lalita Kanaganti, who heard the petition filed by Basavaraju, a resident of Thirthahalli in Shivamogga district, gave this order. Only the legal heir has the responsibility/duty to represent the property of the deceased and protect the interests. However, in this case, the bench said that the petitioner is entitled to a share in the property of the deceased and there is no provision in law for him to become an heir and dismissed the petition.

The petitioner had married a woman from his own village. Later, he had filed an application in the court seeking an order to give his wife a share in his father-in-law’s property. In the meantime, the father-in-law (wife’s father) had died. This led to him filing another petition, requesting that he be declared the legal heir to his father-in-law’s house and to represent his property.