PUTTARANGAMMA & 2 ORS. vs M. S. RANGANNA & 3 ORS.

The Supreme Court held that the unilateral declaration of intention to separate by the karta of a joint Hindu family, communicated to other family members, resulted in a division in status that could not be nullified by a subsequent withdrawal of that declaration. The court emphasized that the knowledge of the intention to separate was sufficient to establish the division, and thus the legal representatives of the karta were entitled to a decree for partition. The appeal was allowed, reversing the High Court's decision.