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The Succession Act, 1925

( ACT NO. XXXIX OF 1925 )

Chapter XVI

OF ADEMPTION OF LEGACIES

Ademption explained
152. If anything which has been specifically bequeathed does not belong to the testator at the time of his death, or has been converted into property of a different kind, the legacy is adeemed: that is, it cannot take effect, by reason of the subject-matter having been withdrawn from the operation of the will.
 
 
Illustrations
 
 
(i) A bequeaths to B-
 
 
"the diamond ring presented to me by C":
 
 
"my gold chain":
 
 
"a certain bale of wool":
 
 
"a certain piece of cloth":
 
 
"all my household goods which shall be in or about my dwelling-house in M Street in Dhaka, at the time of my death";
 
 
A in his lifetime,-
 
 
sells or gives away the ring:
 
 
converts the chain into a cup:
 
 
converts the wool into cloth:
 
 
makes the cloth into a garment:
 
 
takes another house into which he removes all his goods.
 
 
Each of these legacies is adeemed.
 
 
(ii) A bequeaths to B-
 
 
"the sum of 1,000 Taka in a certain chest":
 
 
"all the horses in my stable".
 
 
At the death of A, no money is found in the chest, and no horses in the stable. The legacies are adeemed.
 
 
(iii) A bequeaths to B certain bales of goods. A takes the goods with him on a voyage. The ship and goods are lost at sea, and A is drowned. The legacy is adeemed.
Non-ademption of demonstrative legacy
153. A demonstrative legacy is not adeemed by reason that the property on which it is charged by the will does not exist at the time of the death of the testator, or has been converted into property of a different kind, but it shall in such case be paid out of the general assets of the testator.
Ademption of specific bequest of right to receive something from third party
154. Where the thing specifically bequeathed is the right to receive something of value from a third party, and the testator himself receives it, the bequest is adeemed.
 
 
Illustrations
 
 
(i) A bequeaths to B-
 
 
"the debt which C owes me":
 
 
"2,000 Taka which I have in the hands of D":
 
 
"the money due to me on the bond of E":
 
 
"my mortgage on the Rahimyarkhan factory".
 
 
All these debts are extinguished in A's lifetime, some with and some without his consent. All the legacies are adeemed.
 
 
(ii) A bequeaths to B his interest in certain policies of life assurance. A in his lifetime receives the amount of the policies. The legacy is adeemed.
Ademption pro tanto by testator's receipt of part of entire thing specifically bequeathed
155. The receipt by the testator of a pat of an entire thing specifically bequeathed shall operate as an ademption of the legacy to the extent of the sum so received.
 
 
Illustration
 
 
A bequeaths to B "the debt due to me by C". The debt amounts to 10,000 Taka. C pays to A 5,000 Taka the one-half of the debt. The legacy is revoked by ademption, so far as regards the 5,000 Taka received by A.
Ademption pro tanto by testator's receipt of portion of entire fund of which portion has been specifically bequeathed
156. If a portion of an entire fund or stock is specifically bequeathed, the receipt by the testator of a portion of the fund or stock shall operate as an ademption only to the extent of the amount so received; and the residue of the fund or stock shall be applicable to the discharge of the specific legacy.
 
 
Illustration
 
 
A bequeaths to B one-half of the sum of 10,000 Taka due to him from W. A in his lifetime receives 6,000 Taka, part of the 10,000 Taka. The 4,000 Taka which are due from W to A at the time of his death belong to B under the specific bequest.
Order of payment where portion of fund specifically bequeathed to one legatee, and legacy charged on same fund to another, and, testator having received portion of that fund, remainder insufficient to pay both legacies
157. Where a portion of a fund is specifically bequeathed to one legatee, and a legacy charged on the same fund is bequeathed to another legatee, then, if the testator receives a portion of that fund, and the remainder of the fund is insufficient to pay both the specific and the demonstrative legacy, the specific legacy shall be paid first, and the residue (if any) of the fund shall be applied so far as it will extend in payment of the demonstrative legacy, and the rest of the demonstrative legacy shall be paid out of the general assets of the testator.
 
 
Illustration
 
 
A bequeaths to B 1,000 Taka, part of the debt of 2,000 Taka due to him from W. He also bequeaths to C 1,000 Taka to be paid out of the debt due to him from W. A afterwards receives 500 Taka, part of that debt, and dies leaving only 1,500 Taka due to him from W. Of these 1,500 Taka, 1,000 Taka belong to B, and 500 Taka are to be paid to C. C is also to receive 500 Taka out of the general assets of the testator.
Ademption where stock, specifically bequeathed, does not exist at testator's death
158. Where stock which has been specifically bequeathed does not exist at the testator's death, the legacy is adeemed.
 
 
Illustration
 
 
A bequeaths to B-
 
 
"my capital stock of 1,000/- in East India Stock":
 
 
"my promissory notes of the Government for 10,000 Taka in their 4 per cent. loan".
 
 
A sells the stock and the notes. The legacies are adeemed.
Ademption pro tanto where stock, specially bequeathed, exists in part only at testator's death
159. Where stock which has been specifically bequeathed exists only in part at the testator's death, the legacy is adeemed so far as regards that part of the stock which has ceased to exist.
 
 
Illustration
 
 
A bequeaths to B his 10,000 Taka in the 5› per cent. loan of the Government. A sells one-half of his 10,000 Taka in the loan in question. One-half of the legacy is adeemed.
Non-ademption of specific bequest of goods described as connected with certain place, by reason of removal
160. A specific bequest of goods under a description connecting them with a certain place is not adeemed by reason that they have been removed from such place from any temporary cause, or by fraud, or without the knowledge or sanction of the testator.
 
 
Illustrations
 
 
(i) A bequeaths to B "all household goods which shall be in or about my dwelling-house in Calcutta at the time of my death". The goods are removed from the house to save them from fire. A dies before they are brought back.
 
 
(ii) A bequeaths to B "all my household goods which shall be in or about my dwelling-house in Calcutta at the time of my death". During A's absence upon a journey, the whole of the goods are removed from the house. A dies without having sanctioned their removal.
 
 
Neither of these legacies is adeemed.
When removal of thing bequeathed does not constitute ademption
161. The removal of the thing bequeathed from the place in which it is stated in the will to be situated does not constitute an ademption, where the place is only referred to in order to complete the description of what the testator meant to bequeath.
 
 
Illustrations
 
 
(i) A bequeaths to B "all the bills, bonds and other securities for money belonging to me now lying in my lodgings in Dhaka". At the time of his death, these effects had been removed from his lodgings in Dhaka.
 
 
(ii) A bequeaths to B all his furniture then in his hosue in Dhaka. The testator has a house at Dhaka and another at Chalna, in which he lives alternately, being possessed of one set of furniture only which he removes with himself to each house. At the time of his death the furniture is in the house at Chalna.
 
 
(iii) A bequeaths to B all his goods on board a certain ship then lying in the river Padma. The goods are removed by A's directions to a ware-house, in which they remain at the time of A's death.
 
 
No one of these legacies is revoked by ademption.
When thing bequeathed is a valuable to be received by testator from third person; and testator himself, or his representative, receives it
162. Where the thing bequeathed is not the right to receive something of value from a third person, but the money or other commodity which may be received from the third person by the testator himself or by his representatives, the receipt of such sum of money or other commodity by the testator shall not constitute an ademption; but if he mixes it up with the general mass of his property, the legacy is adeemed.
 
 
Illustration
 
 
A bequeaths to B whatever sum may be received from his claim on C. A receives the whole of his claim on C, and sets it apart from the general mass of his property. The legacy is not adeemed.
Change by operation of law of subject of specific bequest between date of will and testator's death
163. Where a thing specifically bequeathed undergoes a change between the date of the will and the testator's death, and the change takes place by operation of law, or in the course of execution of the provisions of any legal instrument under which the thing bequeathed was held, the legacy is not adeemed by reason of such change.
 
 
Illustrations
 
 
(i) A bequeaths to B "all the money which I have in the 5› per cent. loan of the Government. The securities for the 5› per cent. loan are converted during A's lifetime into 5 per cent. stock.
 
 
(ii) A bequeaths to B the sum of 2,000/- invested in Consols in the names of trustees for A. The sum of 2,000/- is transferred by the trustees into A's own name.
 
 
(iii) A bequeaths to B the sum of 10,000 Taka in promissory notes of the Government which he has power under his marriage settlement to dispose of by will. Afterwards, in A's lifetime, the fund is converted into Consols by virtue of an authority contained in the settlement.
 
 
No one of these legacies has been adeemed.
Change of subject without testator's knowledge
164. Where a thing specifically bequeathed undergoes a change between the date of the will and the testator's death, and the change takes place without the knowledge or sanction of the testator, the legacy is not adeemed.
 
 
Illustration
 
 
A bequeaths to B "all my 3 per cent. Consols". The Consols are, without A's knowledge, sold by his agent, and the proceeds converted into East India Stock. This legacy is not adeemed.
Stock specifically bequeathed lent to third party on condition that it be replaced
165. Where stock which has been specifically bequeathed is lent to a third party on condition that it shall be replaced, and it is replaced accordingly, the legacy is not adeemed.
Stock specifically bequeathed sold but replaced, and belonging to testator at his death
166. Where stock specifically bequeathed is sold, and an equal quantity of the same stock is afterwards purchased and belongs to the testator at his death, the legacy is not adeemed.

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Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs