SC upholds Class I heirs' preferential right over inherited agricultural land

The Supreme Court has held that the preferential right granted to Class I heirs under Section 22 of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 extends to inherited agricultural land. Rejecting a challenge to the provision, the Court clarified that the right is an incident of succession and not a standalone right of pre-emption over land transfers.The Supreme Court has ruled that Section 22 of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 applies to inherited agricultural land, reaffirming that Class I heirs enjoy a preferential right to purchase the share of another co-heir before it is transferred to a third party.A Bench of Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh dismissed an appeal filed by several siblings who had challenged the applicability of Section 22 to agricultural property.