In the case referred above there appears the widow of the deceased is alive and living elsewhere. She will be the class I legal heir to succeed her deceased husband's estates, in her absence, the following will provide you the list:
Class II heirs and their shares:
If there are no heirs in Class I, the property will given to the heirs within Class II. They are divided into nine categories. The rule is that an heir in an earlier category excludes heirs in later category. Further all heirs in one category take simultaneously per capita share. They are as follows:
1] Category I -
a) Father.
2] Category II -
a) Son’s daughter’s son.
b) Son’s daughter’s daughter.
c) Brother.
d) Sister.
3] Category III -
a) Daughter’s son’s son.
b) Daughter’s son’s daughter.
c) Daughter’s daughter’s son.
d) Daughter’s daughter’s daughter.
4] Category IV -
a) Brother’s son.
b) Brother’s daughter.
c) Sister’s son.
d) Sister’s daughter.
5] Category V -
a) Father’s father.
b) Father’s mother.
6] Category VI -
a) Father’s widow. [Step mother].
b) Brother’s widow.
7] Category VII -
a) Father’s brother.
b) Father’s sister.
8] Category VIII -
a) Mother’s father.
b) Mother’s mother.
9] Category IX –
a) Mother’s brother.
b) Mother’s sister.
The rule of share in Class-II heirs is that each will take per capita including widow.
Agnates and Cognates:
Next heir of Hindu male is ‘Agnates and Cognates’. In it first preference is given to ‘Agnates’ & then ‘Cognates’. The rules for determining who are agnates & cognates are the same; so are the rules relating to distribution of property among them.
Agnates mean when a person traces his relationship with another through males, he or she is an ‘Agnates’. For instance brother, brother’s son, son’s son, son’s son father, father’s father, father’s mother, father’s father’s father & mother, son’s daughter, son’s son’s daughter………. etc are agnates.
On other hand cognates means whenever in the relationship of a person with another, a female (or more than one female) interverence anywhere in the line, one cognate to another. For instance sister’s sons & daughters; daughter’s sons & daughters; mother’s mother & father; father’s mother’s father & mother; mother’s father’s son & daughter………..etc are all cognates.
Government:
If a Hindu male leaves behind neither class I, nor class II, nor any agnates, nor any cognates upon his death, then, his entire property lapses to the government. This is called as “Escheat”. When government takes his property as heir, it takes with subject to all the obligations and liabilities of propositus.
