#family definition

The Bombay High Court has ruled that only blood relatives or those with legal ties qualify as 'family' under the Rent Act to claim tenancy rights after the tenant's death. Emotional bonds, domestic service, or testamentary bequests cannot confer succession rights, invalidating claims by live-in partners or servants and reinforcing strict statutory interpretation in rent control cases.

The Punjab & Haryana High Court ruled that under Rule 13.2(1)(c) of the Punjab GPF Rules, 1936, only the widow of a deceased male employee is entitled to his General Provident Fund (GPF) amount, explicitly excluding parents from the statutory definition of 'family'. This decision reinforces the strict interpretation of service rules governing GPF distribution, impacting succession entitlements under public employment benefits.

The Bombay High Court has ruled that excluding granddaughters from employment benefits under land acquisition policies constitutes unlawful gender discrimination, especially when grandsons are already included. This decision binds public sector entities like Coal India to apply inclusive family definitions, reinforcing Article 14 protections for female heirs in state-sponsored rehabilitation schemes.