Will and Probate in Jharkhand: Testator, Beneficiary and Name Mismatch
A will says who gets a person's property after death. The person who makes it is the testator; those who get the property are the beneficiaries. Since the Repealing and Amending Act, 2025, probate is no longer compulsory to claim under a will, as reported, though it is still available. Trouble starts when the names do not match: the will names the testator one way and the sale deed another, or calls a son by his pet name while his Aadhaar says something else. We publish Gazette notices, and we say this first: a spelling slip here needs no Gazette notice.
Five points, in the order you will need them. First, if you are making a will, write every name as on Aadhaar, and add "also known as" for any other name. Second, name the property as the deed or khatiyan names it. Third, if the testator has died, the will cannot be changed; tie the names with evidence instead. Fourth, probate is optional now, but can still help where names or the will are questioned. This is our advice. Fifth, a spelling slip here does not need a Gazette. We publish Gazette notices, and we say this plainly.
What the Law Says About Wills and Probate Now
We read Section 18 of the Registration Act and legal reports on the Repealing and Amending Act, 2025. The name fixes further down are our advice. A will is a legal document. For a disputed will, or a large estate, take an advocate.
| Point | What the sources show |
|---|---|
| Old rule | Section 213 said no right as executor or legatee could be established in court unless probate or letters of administration had been granted |
| What changed | The Repealing and Amending Act, 2025 omitted Section 213; it received assent on 20 December 2025, as reported |
| Probate now | Optional, but still available, as reported |
| Why take it anyway | A grant of probate still conclusively establishes the will's due execution and validity, as reported |
| Pending cases | Some uncertainty remains until the Supreme Court rules, as reported |
| Registering a will | Optional. Section 18 of the Registration Act lists wills among documents whose registration is optional |
| Banks and offices | May still ask for probate or other proof in some cases. Ask each one |
So the will itself carries more weight now, and its names matter more. If the testator's or a beneficiary's name in the will differs from the property papers or ID, offices may stop. This is our reading.
Which Will and Probate Name Mismatch Case You Have
Name problems in a will fall into a few kinds. This sorting is ours, based on the papers families send us.
| What does not match | What it usually is |
|---|---|
| Testator's name differs from the deed | The deed is old, with an older spelling |
| Beneficiary named by a pet name | The testator wrote what the family calls him |
| Daughter named by maiden name | Her ID now carries her married name |
| Property in an ancestor's name | The khatiyan was never updated after an earlier death |
| Hindi will, English IDs | The same name spelt differently in English |
| Executor's name differs | A short form in the will |
| Testator genuinely changed name | A real change, with the old name still on the deed |
How to Fix a Name Mismatch in a Will
How you fix it depends on whether the testator is alive. A living testator can write a fresh will or a codicil. After death, the will cannot be changed; the names must be tied with evidence. The table below is our practical advice.
| Situation | What we usually advise |
|---|---|
| Testator alive, name wrong | A fresh will or codicil, with Aadhaar names and "also known as" |
| Testator dead, beneficiary's pet name used | An affidavit and ID evidence that both names are one person |
| Daughter's maiden name used | Marriage certificate and affidavit. See affidavit after marriage |
| Property in an ancestor's name | See jamabandi and khatiyan and vanshavali |
| Testator's death certificate differs | See death and legal heir certificate |
| Family disputes the names | Consider probate, through an advocate |
| No will at all | See succession certificate |
If you are making a will now, write your own name and every beneficiary's name as on Aadhaar, and add "also known as" for any other name used on property papers. Describe the property as the deed or khatiyan describes it. Registering the will is optional, but it gives a safe copy. This is our advice.
If the testator has died, do not alter the will. Gather the death certificate, the property papers and each beneficiary's ID, and swear a one-and-the-same affidavit for each gap. Whether an office accepts it is its decision. If the family may dispute the will, probate through an advocate settles the names in one order. This is our advice.
Mutation, Bank and Other Records After a Will
Once the will is accepted, each record must move to the beneficiary. This list is our advice.
| Record | What to watch |
|---|---|
| Land mutation | See dakhil kharij name mismatch |
| Holding tax | See municipal holding tax |
| Bank accounts | See nominee name mismatch |
| Shares and mutual funds | See shares and mutual funds for heirs |
| Vehicle | See RC transfer after death |
| Electricity connection | See electricity bill name change |
Does a Will Name Mismatch Need a Gazette Notice?
No, for a spelling slip or a pet name. Those are tied with an affidavit and ID evidence. A Gazette notice is for a genuine change of name, and a will passes property. It does not change anyone's name.
| Situation | What usually applies |
|---|---|
| Beneficiary's pet name | Affidavit and ID. No Gazette |
| Old spelling on the deed | Affidavit or "also known as". No Gazette |
| Hindi and English difference | Affidavit. No Gazette |
| Daughter's married name | Marriage certificate. No Gazette |
| Testator genuinely changed name | His or her old Gazette notice, if one was made |
How to Handle Names in a Will, Step by Step
Read every name in the will
Testator, beneficiaries, witnesses.
Compare with the property papers
Deed or khatiyan.
Correct a living testator's will
Fresh will or codicil.
Never alter a will after death
Tie names instead.
Swear an affidavit for any gap
One-and-the-same.
Consider probate if disputed
Through an advocate.
Update each record
Mutation, bank, shares.
Central Gazette Process for a Name From Jharkhand, and Where It Fits a Will
No district in Jharkhand has a gazette counter, so a genuine file goes from Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Dhanbad, Bokaro, Hazaribagh, Deoghar or anywhere else in the state to the Department of Publication, Civil Lines, Delhi 110054, and the notice publishes in Part IV of the Gazette of India. As reported in July 2025 the Finance Department stopped personal name change notifications from the Jharkhand Government Press with immediate effect, so there is no state alternative to fall back on.
The Eight Steps of a Name File Sent From Jharkhand
Settle the final name first
Letter by letter, with the spacing you want, and then use exactly that everywhere, Aadhaar included. A corrigendum after publication is a second fee and a second wait.
Pick the category, then its proforma
A genuine change of name is change of Name Adult or Major. A wrongly typed spelling is the public notice for a wrongly written name. Twelve categories exist and only one is yours.
Type the proforma in duplicate
Two originals with two witnesses giving signature, full name, address and mobile number on both copies. A change of name is signed in the old name; a public notice is signed in your own name.
Fill the employment field if it is a change of name
The adult proforma asks for the post of the applicant and the office or company name. A student or a homemaker should still complete it rather than leaving it blank, because a blank field brings the file back.
Publish and keep the original paper
One of the daily local leading newspapers, carrying both names in full, the father or husband name and the residential address. The whole original paper goes in the file, not a cutting.
Pay only through BharatKosh
The Non Tax Receipt Portal and nowhere else since October 2018. Select the Department of Publication by name, read the amount the portal shows on the day, pay in your own name and print the e-receipt.
Check every date, then post it yourself
Nothing in the file older than one year. Personally or by post or courier only, never through an agent or advocate. Photocopy everything first, because nothing sent in comes back.
Read the notice, then update in the right order
Check every word the day it publishes and download the e-Gazette copy. Then update Aadhaar and PAN, and then your bank account and residence papers, with the original Gazette notification.
The Five Papers in the File, and What Is Checked in Each
| The paper | What is checked in it, clause by clause |
|---|---|
| 1. The proforma, in duplicate | That it is the right category format; the existing full name exactly as your documents carry it; the new full name exactly as settled; the father or husband name; the full address with pin code; the post and office or company name where it is a change of name; the signature in the right name for the category; two witnesses complete with signature, full name, address and mobile number |
| 2. The affidavit or undertaking | The same names and address as the proforma, word for word, with wording matching the category. On Rs 100 non-judicial stamp paper as our safe default |
| 3. The original newspaper | The original paper, not a cutting; the paper name and date of publication visible; both names carried; the father or husband name and residential address; dated within the last year |
| 4. Photographs, identity proof and any category paper | Two self attested passport photographs; self attested identity and address proof matching the proforma address; both witnesses proofs; and, in a public notice file, the attested photocopy of the connected document carrying the error |
| 5. The CD, its certificate and the BharatKosh receipt | MS Word, without the witness portion, with the name typed in place of the signature; the certificate that the hard copy and the soft copy are the same; the forwarding letter to the Controller of Publication with a telephone number and email; the e-receipt |
The posting detail is on the sending the file to Delhi page, the change of name wording on the proforma format page and the public notice wording on the public notice proforma page, the charge by category on the fee and undertaking page, the reasons files come back on the rejection reasons page, and the download on the download page.
What Fixing Names in a Will Costs
The costs vary by route: affidavits are cheap; probate involves a court and an advocate. Not a Gazette notice, for a slip. We could not verify court fees for probate in Jharkhand, so we print no amount.
| Item | What we can and cannot tell you |
|---|---|
| Making a will | No fee to write one. Registering it is optional; ask the sub-registrar about the fee |
| Probate | Court fee and advocate's fee. We could not verify the court fee. Ask your advocate |
| Affidavit | Stamp paper, Rs 100 as our safe default, plus the notary's fee |
| Death certificate correction | As the registrar charges |
| Mutation after the will | As the circle office charges. See our dakhil kharij page |
| Gazette notice | Not needed for a will or a spelling slip. Paid on BharatKosh, revised each year and non-refundable, if ever needed |
| What we charge | Quoted on the call. For telling you which paper to fix, nothing |
Myths About Wills and Probate
| What people believe | What is actually so |
|---|---|
| A name mismatch here needs a Gazette | A slip is tied by affidavit and ID |
| Probate is always compulsory | Section 213 was omitted; probate is now optional, as reported |
| Probate is now useless | It still conclusively settles a will's validity, as reported |
| A will must be registered | Registration is optional under Section 18 |
| The family can correct the will after death | Never alter it; tie the names with evidence |
| Pet names are fine in a will | Use Aadhaar names, with "also known as" |
| An affidavit always settles it | The office or court decides |
| Every bank must accept a will without probate | Some may still ask for more. Ask each one |
| The Jharkhand Government Press can publish my notice | Personal notices were stopped in July 2025, as reported |
Key Terms for a Will and Probate
| Term | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Will | A written statement of who gets your property after death |
| Testator | The person who makes the will |
| Beneficiary or legatee | A person who gets property under the will |
| Executor | The person named to carry out the will |
| Probate | A court's certificate that a will is valid |
| Codicil | A later note that changes part of a will |
| Section 213 | The old rule that made probate compulsory, now omitted |
| Also known as | Words that tie a second name to the same person |
| One-and-the-same affidavit | A sworn statement that two names are one person |
Will Name Help Across Jharkhand
For a family whose will, deed and IDs spell names differently, the first question is how to tie them. We read the will, the property papers and each ID, and draft the affidavits; your advocate handles any probate. For a spelling slip, we will tell you that you need no Gazette notice, and we charge nothing for telling you. We help people across Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Dhanbad, Bokaro, Hazaribagh, Deoghar and every other district, on scans over WhatsApp.
District pages are linked from the services page.
Send the will, the deed and each beneficiary's Aadhaar
Send the will first, then the property deed or khatiyan, the death certificate and each beneficiary's Aadhaar. Our first reply tells you which paper to fix, and where. For a spelling slip, we will tell you that no Gazette notice is needed and charge you nothing. Details on the contact page.
- 📞Call 9540005002
Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 6 PM - WhatsApp 9540005064
Send your scans here, it is the fastest way - ✉️info@jharkhandnamechange.com
- 📍Ranchi office: Main Building, Near Shaheed Chowk, Ranchi, Jharkhand 834001
- 🏛️Head office (Gazette filing desk): Metro Pillar No. 377, Near Burari Metro Station, Shop No. B-1, Ground Floor, Gali No. 1, Khasra No. 31/12, Hardev Nagar, Jharoda Majra, Burari, Delhi 110084
Will and Probate Name Mismatch in Jharkhand: Frequently Asked Questions
Is probate still compulsory?
When did that change?
Should we still get probate?
Must a will be registered?
The will calls my son by his pet name.
My father's will uses my pet name, and he has died.
The will names my sister by her maiden name.
The property is still in my grandfather's name.
There is no will.
What does probate cost in Jharkhand?
Do I need a Gazette notice?
How much of this can you do for us?
Sources on Wills and Probate
| Source | What it is used for on this page |
|---|---|
| Bar and Bench, omission of Section 213 | The old text, assent on 20 December 2025, probate now optional, as reported |
| SCC Online, legal effect of the omission | Probate still conclusive; pending cases uncertain, as reported |
| Registration Act, 1908, Section 18 | Wills among documents of optional registration |
| What we could not verify | Probate court fees in Jharkhand; each bank's rule |
| Our other pages on the neighbouring questions | succession certificate; dakhil kharij; vanshavali |
Will Name Mismatch in Nine Lines
The short version
- Probate is optional now, as reported.
- It still settles a disputed will.
- Registering a will is optional.
- Write names as on Aadhaar, with "also known as".
- Describe property as the deed or khatiyan does.
- A living testator can write a fresh will.
- After death, never alter the will.
- Tie names with affidavit and ID.
- A spelling slip needs no Gazette notice.