Delhi High Court Rejects Padmaja Parmar’s Plea in Udaipur Royal Family Property Dispute, Says Will Issue Must Be Decided First

The Delhi High Court on March 19, 2026 dealt a key blow to Padmaja Kumari Parmar in the ongoing property dispute within Udaipur’s former royal family, rejecting her plea seeking Letters of Administration over the estate of her late father, Arvind Singh Mewar.

The dispute, which has drawn significant public attention, is between siblings Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar and Padmaja, over succession to the family’s vast estate, including heritage properties and hospitality businesses.

The bench of Justice Subramaniam Prasad, while rejecting Padmaja’s plea, observed that no proceedings could continue on the assumption that the deceased had died intestate as long as the will presented by her brother remained under challenge before the court.

“As long as the claim related to the will presented by the brother is pending before the court, no legal proceedings can move forward on the basis that there is no will,” court noted.

Padmaja had approached the high court claiming that her father died without leaving a valid will and sought administration of his estate on that basis. However, court declined to accept this position at this stage, effectively recognizing that the issue of the will’s validity must first be adjudicated.

“In the present case, two parallel testamentary proceedings have been instituted in respect of the estate of the deceased. The first has been initiated by the Petitioner before the high court of Judicature at Bombay, seeking grant of Letters of Administration on the ground of intestacy, i.e., without the Will being annexed. The second proceeding has been instituted by Respondent No. 1 before the high court of Judicature for Rajasthan at Jodhpur, seeking grant of Letters of Administration with the Will annexed. In the said proceeding, it is asserted that it was the express wish of the testator/deceased that his estate be administered by Respondent No. 1, and the relief sought therein is founded upon the validity and due execution of the purported Will”, court observed.

At the same time, court granted her liberty to place on record her objections and arguments questioning the authenticity of the will relied upon by Lakshyaraj Singh. The matter has now been listed for further hearing on May 4.

“Liberty is, however, granted to the Petitioner to raise the very same grounds and contentions urged in the present Petition regarding the suspicious circumstances surrounding the Will by filing an appropriate Reply in TEST.CAS. 4/2026, wherein the issues concerning the validity and proof of the alleged Will are to be adjudicated”, court observed in the judgment.

Following court’s order, scenes of celebration were reported outside the City Palace in Udaipur, with locals gathering near Jagdish Chowk and bursting crackers.

Reacting to the development, Lakshyaraj Singh stated that the outcome reaffirmed his position. “Truth has prevailed. The truth has come before everyone. This has been the result of collective effort,” he said.

Later in the day, Lakshyaraj Singh, accompanied by his wife Nivritti Kumari and their children, visited the Jagdish Temple in Udaipur to offer prayers. He was greeted by residents and traders along the way.

Speaking after the visit, he described the ruling as a moment of relief for the family. “The entire family went through a difficult period. Wherever my father is, he too would have found peace,” he said, adding that certain remarks made about his father during the dispute had caused him distress.

The legal battle stems from the estate of Arvind Singh Mewar, who passed away on March 16, 2025. The dispute centres around control and succession of key family assets, including the iconic City Palace and the HRH Group of Hotels, which Lakshyaraj currently oversees.

However, the conflict is not new. It traces its origins back several decades to internal disagreements within the Mewar royal family. In 1983, Bhagwat Singh Mewar, then head of the family, initiated decisions regarding sale and lease of family properties, which were opposed by his eldest son, Mahendra Singh Mewar.

The dispute escalated, leading to prolonged litigation after Bhagwat Singh’s death in 1984. Over time, management of the estate largely remained with Arvind Singh Mewar, while other family members held limited control.

In 2020, after nearly four decades of legal battles, a Udaipur district court ordered division of the disputed properties into four shares, one in the name of Bhagwat Singh and the remaining among his children.

The present dispute between Lakshyaraj and Padmaja represents a fresh chapter in this long running inheritance conflict. With the high court now set to examine the validity of the will, the outcome of the case is likely to have significant implications for the future control of the Mewar family’s legacy assets.

Case Title: Padmaja Kumari Parmar v. Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar and Ors.

Bench: Justice Subramaniam Prasad

Date of Judgement: 19.03.2026