India, Feb. 28 -- The Bombay high court last Thursday dismissed a petition filed by a city resident, seeking the transfer of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) bonds held by her husband to her and her mother-in-law's names, following his and his children's renunciation of worldly life and entry into the Jain sanyas order.

A division bench of justice Revati Mohite Dere and justice Dr. Neela Gokhale dismissed the petition on technical grounds that the issue could not be addressed in writ jurisdiction by claiming that spiritual renunciation amounted to "civil death", and his legal heirs were entitled to the bonds.

The court further noted that there are several pre-requisites to declare a person as having gone through a "civil death" on account of...