Customs can't remain stuck in time: Supreme Court upholds tribal woman's right to inherit property

The Supreme Court has emphatically ruled that an "unproven custom cannot be a ground to deny inheritance to tribal women." This landmark judgment aims to protect the property rights of tribal women, who are often discriminated against based on uncodified or ambiguously defined customary laws. The Court asserted that for a custom to override statutory laws of inheritance, it must be ancient, certain, and not opposed to public policy. This ruling reinforces gender equality and ensures that tribal women receive their rightful share of ancestral property, challenging discriminatory practices prevalent in certain tribal communities and promoting equitable inheritance laws.