Sardari Lal v. Bishan Dass, 2026 INSC 669 — courts may test whether a stated reason for a bequest or exclusion is truthful or “just moonshine”; a specific but unproven reason can undermine a Will more than a general one.
Before you begin
Can I exclude anyone — or leave everything to whoever I choose?
you may exclude anyone who'd otherwise expect a share — a child, a sibling, anyone. But for that exclusion to actually hold up, pick one of the legally vetted reasons we give you in the form, not your own emotional explanation. We've built those specifically to survive a challenge in court. Use them.
if what you're giving away is self-earned, nothing stops you from leaving it to whoever you choose — unless it's inherited or ancestral property, where you can only give away your own undivided share, not the whole thing. And if you're Muslim, be careful: personal law typically caps what you can will away at one-third of your estate, unless your heirs agree to more after you're gone.
any exclusion or unequal bequest can invite a legal challenge from whoever's left out — so be deliberate about it. Other than that, you're the master of your own Will.