April 27, 1979 – Erstwhile Board of Revenue prescribed the issuance of legal heirship certificates as one of the duties of the Tahsildar.
April 3, 1987 – After the Board of Revenue was abolished in 1980, the Government of Tamil Nadu issued G.O.Ms.No.581, revising the earlier duties and responsibilities prescribed for Revenue Divisional Officers and Tahsildars. The issuance of legal heirship certificates is enumerated as one of the duties of the Tahsildar in the Annexure to this Government Order.
November 28, 1991 – The Special Commissioner for Revenue Administration issued a letter prescribing various guidelines for issuance of legal heirship certificates by Tahsildars.
August 9, 2017 – The Principal Secretary, Commissioner of Revenue Administration, issued a circular prescribing detailed guidelines for the issuance of legal heirship certificates. Paragraph 7 of this circular prohibited the Tahsildar from issuing legal heirship certificates in respect of certain categories enumerated therein.
September 24, 2019 – The aforesaid guidelines were revised by Circular No.9 of 2019 issued by the Commissioner of Revenue Administration. This circular drew a dichotomy between class-I (or what the circular terms as “direct”) legal heirs and class-II (or “indirect”) legal heirs. Paragraph 8(i) of this circular prohibited the issuance of legal heirship certificates to class-II legal heirs.
Source: Barandbench
