Gift deed takes effect immediately, reducing scope for disputes among heirs

The flip side is that the donor relinquishes control over the property right away upon gifting it

The Bombay High Court recently upheld the Senior Citizens Maintenance Tribunal’s judgment. It revoked gift deeds executed by an elderly woman in favour of her son and ordered the man to vacate the property. This decision sets a precedent for the validity and revocability of gift deeds in India. Anyone planning to use a gift deed should acquaint herself with its intricacies.

Gift deeds serve as critical legal documents, formalising the voluntary transfer of property without monetary exchange. “While not mandatory, it is advisable to execute a gift deed to create valid documentary evidence,” says Dipen Mittal, deputy general manager,