Smt. Vijayalakshmamma & Anr vs B. T. Shankar

The Supreme Court upheld the Karnataka High Court's decision affirming the decree for partition and separate possession in favor of the respondent-plaintiff, who claimed to be the adopted son of late Nanjappa Rao under customary law. The Court found that the adoption was validly executed and recognized, despite the defendants' claims of a later adoption of their daughter. The Court emphasized the importance of the Adoption Deed and the plaintiff's management of the properties, thereby establishing the principle that a valid adoption confers rights to the adopted child over the estate of the adoptive parent as per customary practices.