Widowed Daughter-in-Law's Right to Maintenance Upheld by Supreme Court

• The Supreme Court ruled that a widowed daughter-in-law has a full right to maintenance from her in-laws' property under the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956.
• The court emphasized that this right cannot be denied on technical grounds, such as whether her husband died before or after her in-laws.
• Discriminating against women based on the timing of their husband's death violates Article 14 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees equality.
• The case involved Geeta Sharma, whose demand for maintenance was initially rejected by the Family Court but later upheld by the High Court and finally by the Supreme Court.
• The verdict clarifies that the term 'widow of the son' in Section 21 of the Act should be interpreted broadly to include all widowed daughters-in-law.

Why It Matters: Supreme Court ensures widowed daughter-in-law's right to dignified maintenance from in-laws' property.