SC explains legal distinctions between Gift, Settlement and Will

N.P. Saseendran Vs N.P. Ponnamma & Ors. (Supreme Court of India) The Supreme Court of India in N.P. Saseendran Vs N.P. Ponnamma & Ors. provided critical insights into the differences between a gift, settlement, and will. The ruling emphasized that the nomenclature of a legal document is immaterial; its legal nature is derived from its contents. A gift or settlement involves a transfer of interest during the lifetime of the executor (in praesenti), while a will postpones such transfer until after the testator’s death. Importantly, delivery of possession is not mandatory for valida...