(1)

If—

(a) any person has died leaving within any State assets exceeding rupees [ten lakhs] [Substituted for the words amendment "two lakhs " Act No. 33 of 2012] in value, and

(b) (whether the obtaining of probate of his will or letters of administration to his estate is or is not obligatory), no person to whom any court would have jurisdiction to commit administration of such assets has, within one month after his death, applied in such State for such probate, or letters of administration, and

(c) (in cases where the obtaining of such probate or letters of administration is not obligatory under the provisions of the Indian Succession Act, 1925 (39 of 1925) no person has taken other proceedings for the protection of the estate, the Administrator-General of the State in which such assets are, may, subject to any rules made by the State Government, within a reasonable time after he has had notice of the death of such person, and of his having left such assets, take such proceedings as may be necessary to obtain from the High Court letters of administration of the estate of such person.

(2)

The Administrator-General shall not take proceedings under this section unless he is satisfied, that there is apprehension of misappropriation, deterioration or waste of such assets if such proceedings are not taken by him or that such proceedings are otherwise necessary for the protection of the assets.

Maharashtra:-

In its application to the State of Maharashtra, in section 9 of the Administrators-General Act, 1963, in sub-section (1) in clause (a) for the words "two lakhs ", the words "ten lakhs " shall be substituted

Maharashtra Act 12 of 2002, Section 2 (w.e.f. 15-3-2002)