Christian Law of Succession in India - Travancore and Cochin Acts

Travancore and Cochin Acts

The Christians in the former Princely State of Travancore were governed by the provisions of the Travancore Christian Succession Act of 1916 in matters of intestate succession. The Christians in the former Princely State of Cochin were governed by the provisions of the Cochin Christian Succession Act of 1921 in matters of intestate succession.

While so the Supreme Court of India in 1986 declared that with the coming into force of the Part B States (Laws) Act 1951, the Travancore Christian Succession Act of 1916 stood repealed with effect from 1 April 1951 and held that Christians in the Travancore area were and are governed by the Indian Succession Act, 1925. Following this decision, the High Court of Kerala declared that the Cochin Christian Succession Act of 1921 also stood repealed with effect from 1 April 1951. As the law declared by the Supreme Court and the High Court are binding, the Indian Succession Act of 1925 is the law relating to succession applicable to the great majority of Christians in India except the categories mentioned above.