HUBBALLI: The uncertainties created by the pandemic are prompting younger people to make early provision for their loved ones by drafting wills and formally naming guardians or long-term carers. Lawyers who assist in such processes say before the Covid-19 crisis, people in their 60s used to set bequests, but now, even those in their 40s are readying the paperwork.
According to Shankar Halagatti, a lawyer and writer in Dharwad, the upsetting thought that one may suddenly die without leaving a safety net for young children or elderly parents has triggered the trend.
“Many people are registering their wills, while some people are writing down instructions and sharing them with friends or relatives they trust. Not just the affluent, even people from the lower-middle class with a small piece of land or other property are making a will,” he said. “In a few cases, a complex family situation, say, a person with two partners, is prompting the need. They don’t want a clash between dependants later on.”
Another advocate, Basavaprabhu Hosakeri, said that people would naturally think of their dear ones’ future in such a crisis. “In a way, it’s good that there is awareness and people are visiting the sub-registrar’s office to complete formalities. Some are also signing an unregistered will in front of two witnesses,” he added.
Savita Hangal, an assistant public prosecutor, said that more people expressed the desire to make a will during the first wave than in the second wave. “Though the number of deaths increased during the second wave, people were a little more confident because of the availability of vaccines,” she said.
