Yes you can get the duplicate death certificate by applying to the concerned municipal corporation. If you cat yourself so you can hire the services of an advocate.

Sir/Ma’am

If you need any further assistance for the same.You can approach me through Kaanoon or LinkedIn.

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It is not clear why you need your aunt's death certificate and for what purpose. More so, when you say that her paternal family is holding it. Only the nearest family members such as the children of the deceased are entitled to obtain the death certificate of your aunt. 

Be assured that the law does not permit anyone to monopolise or withhold a public document like a death certificate. You are fully entitled to obtain a certified copy independently, even without the cooperation of your aunt’s parental family.

1. Your Right to Obtain a Duplicate Death Certificate

A death certificate issued by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation is a public record under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.

This means:

• Any interested person (especially a relative or legal heir) can apply for a certified copy (duplicate)
  
• It is not restricted to the person who originally applied or received the SMS/download link
  
• The “phone number linkage” is only for convenience, not a legal barrier

2. Practical Ways to Obtain the Certificate (Even from Abroad)

You have multiple legally valid options:

(a) Online Retrieval

• Visit the official portal of Kolkata Municipal Corporation
  
• Use:

  • Death certificate number
  • Acknowledgement number
  • Date of death

• Most municipal portals allow search and download or re-issue of certificates irrespective of the original applicant

If download is restricted, you can still proceed with a fresh application.

(b) Apply for a Certified Copy
You can apply for a duplicate certificate by:

• Filling an online/offline application
• Paying a nominal prescribed fee
• Providing basic details (name, date of death, place of death, etc.)

(c) Authorise Someone in India
Since you are abroad, the most practical route is:

• Execute a simple authority letter or Power of Attorney in favour of a trusted person in Kolkata
• They can:

  • Visit the municipal office
  • Apply for and collect the certified copy on your behalf

(d) Through an Advocate
You may also engage a local advocate in Kolkata who can:

• File the application
• Follow up with the municipal office
• Ensure prompt issuance

3. Regarding Withholding of Other Items (Cheque Book, Flat Keys, Laptop)

What you have described raises serious legal concerns. If your uncle has also passed away, then:

• His assets and belongings form part of his estate
  
• No individual (including your aunt’s family) has the right to illegally retain or appropriate them
  

Depending on the situation, remedies include:

• Issuing a legal notice for return of property
  
• Initiating civil proceedings for recovery
  
• In appropriate cases, even criminal complaint for wrongful possession/misappropriation
  

4. Important Strategic Advice

• First, secure all essential documents (death certificates of both aunt and uncle)
• Then assess succession (whether there is a Will, legal heirs, etc.)
• Act promptly to prevent misuse of bank instruments or digital data

Conclusion

You do not need to depend on your aunt’s family at all. With the certificate number and acknowledgement details already available to you, obtaining a duplicate death certificate from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation is entirely feasible and legally your right.

1) Visit the Janma Mrityu Tathya Portal and use the "Download Certificate" option under "Citizen Services".

2) You can also check the status or apply for a digital copy via the West Bengal e-District Portal

3) in alternative You or a representative must apply to the Registrar of Births and Deaths at the

(5, S.N. Banerjee Road, Kolkata - 700013).

4) enclose Application letter explaining the need for a duplicate.

• The Certificate Number and Acknowledgement Number 
• Relationship Proof: Documents showing you are a relative (e.g., your birth certificate showing your father's name, and your father's birth certificate showing his relation to your aunt).

You can get a duplicate copy of your aunt’s death certificate even if her family is withholding it. The death certificates are public records, and access cannot be restricted by relatives.

KMC provides online access to death certificates.

Visit the official KMC Birth & Death portal

Use Death Certificate Number or acknowledgement Number or name and date of Death.

Under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, death certificates are public documents.

Any person can apply for a certified copy.

Your aunt’s family cannot legally block access.

As far as Bank Cheque Book, Laptop, Apartment Key is concerned, they are part of your uncle’s estate. If they are withholding them, it may amount to criminal breach of trust and illegal possession of estate assets.

You issue a legal notice to them to return them failing to comply you may take appropriate legal action to recover them.

You can obtain a duplicate copy of your aunt’s death certificate even if the original or download access is with her paternal family. A death certificate is a public record and no private party can legally prevent you from accessing it.

Since you already have the certificate number and acknowledgement number, you should first try accessing it through the Kolkata Municipal Corporation portal by using the search or download option with available details such as registration number, name and date. In many cases, this works without requiring OTP.

If online download is not possible, you can apply for a certified copy of the death certificate. Being in the USA, you may execute a Power of Attorney in favour of a trusted person in Kolkata who can visit the municipal office and obtain a certified extract on your behalf.

You may also send a formal request to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation by email with the relevant details such as name of the deceased, registration number and request for a certified copy. Authorities generally issue such copies as it is an official public record.

The aunt’s family has no legal right to withhold access to the death certificate.

As regards the cheque book, keys and laptop of your uncle, those form part of his estate. If they are being wrongfully retained, appropriate legal steps such as issuing a legal notice and, if necessary, initiating proceedings can be taken.

In summary, you do not require cooperation from the other side and can independently obtain a certified copy of the death certificate through official channels.

Dear client

You can absolutely get a duplicate death certificate even if the original is held by another party.

In your case, since the original was issued out of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, you have a few options for obtaining a duplicate:

First, using the KMC website, you can submit an online application for your duplicate. Since you already have the certificate number and acknowledgement number, you can easily search for your death certificate by proceeding to the KMC portal and downloading it directly if you have all of your identifying information.

Second, you can have a friend or family member in Kolkata who can go to the municipal office to apply for and obtain a certified copy of the death certificate on your behalf. Generally speaking, if you provide someone with basic identifying information about yourself, they will issue you a duplicate death certificate.

Third, you could email a request for a duplicate death certificate along with the required information about yourself (such as the deceased person’s name, date of death, and death certificate number) to KMC. Many municipal agencies respond to this type of request.

When dealing with your deceased loved one’s bank accounts and property, you may have to follow legal procedures later, but your immediate concern needs to be obtaining your duplicate death certificate.

Thus, getting a duplicate death certificate is legally permitted and relatively easy to accomplish.

Yes, you can get an additional / duplicate death certificate from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. It does not depend only on the SMS link held by her family. KMC’s official material says additional copies of death certificates are issued on payment of fee, and the West Bengal Janma-Mrityu Tathya portal also provides “Download Certificate” and “Death Certificate Verify” services.

Since you already have the certificate number / acknowledgement number, the practical next step is to use the official WB portal first, and if that does not work, have a local representative or lawyer in Kolkata apply before the KMC Health Department / concerned borough office for a certified copy. KMC also provides a Find Death Records facility and lists the Health Department office at 5, S.N. Banerjee Road, Kolkata - 700013.

Nominee is only trustee of legal heirs 

on demise of aunt her properties would devolve on your uncle as his legal heir 

on uncle demise all his assets would devolve on his legal heirs ie his siblings if he did not have any children .if siblings are alive nephew does not have any share in his properties 

No, you do not get a right automatically. A nominee may help the bank release the money, but your own right as nephew depends on the succession law, any Will, and whether any nearer heir exists.

If your aunt died first and both were Hindu and left no Will, her husband would normally be the first heir to her separate assets; after his death, those assets would then form part of his estate. A nephew is a later-category heir, so you can claim only if no closer heir is ahead of you.

So, you cannot claim your aunt’s account/property just because your uncle was nominee, and you cannot claim your uncle’s account unless you qualify as his legal heir under the applicable succession law.

Please first verify whether there is any Will and prepare the full family tree with both death certificates before taking the next legal step.

Your queries involve two separate estates, namely your uncle and your aunt, and the legal position depends on the distinction between nomination and legal heirship.

In respect of your uncle’s NRE/NRO bank account, since he was unmarried, had no children and no surviving parents, succession will be governed by the applicable personal law (for Christians, the Indian Succession Act). A nominee, even if it is a friend, is not the owner of the funds but only a trustee or custodian. The actual ownership vests in the legal heirs. In such a situation, legal heirs would typically include siblings or the children of deceased siblings, i.e., nephews and nieces. Accordingly, you may have a claim in your uncle’s account, but not exclusively, as other legal heirs will also have equal rights.

In respect of your aunt’s NRE/NRO account, your uncle was the nominee and your aunt passed away one day prior to your uncle. Legally, upon your aunt’s death, her estate devolves upon her legal heirs. A nominee does not become the owner but merely has the right to receive the funds on behalf of the legal heirs. Since your uncle also passed away shortly thereafter, the funds in your aunt’s account will still form part of her estate and will devolve upon her own legal heirs. Therefore, you, being a nephew of your uncle, cannot directly claim your aunt’s bank account.

As regards your aunt’s properties, these will devolve as per her personal succession law. Your uncle, being her husband, would have had a share in her estate. However, since he passed away immediately after her, any share that devolved upon him may form part of his estate, and you may have an indirect claim only to that limited extent, subject to proper legal determination.

It is important to understand that nomination does not confer ownership and rights ultimately flow through succession laws.

From a practical standpoint, you may apply for a legal heir certificate or succession certificate in respect of your uncle’s estate and, if required, take steps to recover the amount from the nominee. However, your rights in your aunt’s estate would be limited and not direct.

In conclusion, you may have a valid claim in your uncle’s assets along with other legal heirs, but you do not have a direct claim in your aunt’s assets except to the limited extent of any share that may have devolved upon your uncle and thereafter formed part of his estate.

Best of luck

Dear client

You have raised a very important and slightly complex issue involving nomination, succession, and the sequence of death, and I appreciate that you are seeking clarity before taking any step. Let me explain this to you in a structured but practical manner.

First, one must clearly understand a fundamental principle of Indian law: a nominee is not the owner of the money; a nominee is only a trustee or custodian for the legal heirs, unless the law specifically provides otherwise (which in bank accounts, it generally does not).

Now, let us apply this to your facts.

1. Sequence of death – very critical in your case

You have correctly pointed out that your aunt (Kaki) died one day before your uncle (Kaku). This single fact changes the legal position significantly.

• On the death of your aunt, her assets (including her bank accounts and properties) devolved upon her legal heirs at that moment.
• Your uncle, being her husband, would ordinarily be one of her Class I legal heirs under the Indian Succession Act, 1925 (applicable to Christians).

Therefore, on your aunt’s death, your uncle inherited her estate (either wholly or along with her other legal heirs, if any).

Now, since your uncle died the very next day, whatever he inherited from your aunt became part of your uncle’s estate.

This is a very crucial legal chain.

2. Nomination in your aunt’s (Kaki’s) bank account

You mentioned that your uncle was the nominee in your aunt’s NRE/NRO account.

• Since your uncle was alive at the time of your aunt’s death, the bank would release the funds to him as nominee.
• Even if the funds were not physically withdrawn before his death, legally, the beneficial interest had already vested in him as legal heir (not merely as nominee).

Therefore, those funds now form part of your uncle’s estate, and not your aunt’s parental family’s estate.

3. Nomination in your uncle’s (Kaku’s) bank account

Here, the situation is different.

• Your uncle’s bank account has his friend as nominee.
• That nominee will be entitled to receive the funds from the bank.

However—and this is very important—the nominee does not become the legal owner. He merely holds the money in trust for the legal heirs of your uncle.

So, the final entitlement depends on who your uncle’s legal heirs are under succession law.

4. Can you, as nephew, claim your uncle’s estate?

This depends entirely on whether your uncle left a Will.

• 
  If there is a Will:
  The property will go strictly according to the Will, regardless of nomination.
• 
  If there is no Will (intestate succession):
  Then succession will be governed by the Indian Succession Act, 1925.

In such a case, since:

• Your uncle had no children
• No surviving parents
• His wife (your aunt) predeceased him

The property would devolve upon his kindred (relatives) as per the order laid down in the Act.

As a nephew, you may fall within the category of relatives entitled to inherit—but this depends on:

• Whether your father (uncle’s brother) was alive at the time of your uncle’s death
• Whether there are closer surviving relatives

So, you may have a claim, but it is not automatic—it depends on the exact family tree at the time of death.

5. Can you claim your aunt’s estate?

Directly, no—because:

• On her death, her estate first devolved upon her legal heirs (including your uncle)
• Since your uncle survived her, her estate effectively merged into his estate

Therefore, your claim (if any) is through your uncle, not independently against your aunt’s estate.

Her parental family cannot simply appropriate her assets if your uncle was alive at the time of her death.

6. Practical reality regarding bank accounts

• The bank will release funds to the nominee (friend, in your uncle’s case)
• However, that does not extinguish the rights of legal heirs
• Legal heirs can file a succession certificate petition to claim the funds from the nominee if required

7. Regarding behaviour of your aunt’s family

I understand your concern. Legally speaking:

• They have no automatic right over your uncle’s estate
• They cannot legally retain assets belonging to your uncle
• Their rights, if any, are confined to your aunt’s estate—and even that is subject to the sequence of death, which in your case favours your uncle’s line

In conclusion

• Your aunt’s assets would have first devolved upon your uncle, since she predeceased him
• Your uncle’s entire estate (including what he inherited from your aunt) is now subject to succession law or his Will
• The nominee (your uncle’s friend) is only a receiver, not the final owner
• As a nephew, you may have a claim, but it depends on the existence of closer legal heirs and whether a Will exists

This is a situation where a properly drawn family tree and documentation of dates of death will be decisive.

You may please note that as per Succession laws a  nominee is not the legal owner. A nominee is only a trustee / custodian of the money.  The money ultimately belongs to the legal heirs under succession law.

Presuming your Uncle's family was Hindu by religion, upon intestate death of your aunt and uncle, the properties including the movable properties by them shall devolve upon their class II legal heirs in the absence of class I legal heirs. , 

The following is the list of class II legal heirs:

1. Entry I: Father.
2. Entry II: Brother, Sister.
3. Entry III: Daughter's son's son, Daughter's son's daughter, Daughter's daughter's son, Daughter's daughter's daughter.
4. Entry IV: Brother's son, Sister's son, Brother's daughter, Sister's daughter.
5. Entry V: Father's father, Father's mother.
6. Entry VI: Father's widow (stepmother), Brother's widow.
7. Entry VII: Father's brother, Father's sister.
8. Entry VIII: Mother's father, Mother's sister.
9. Entry IX: Other paternal and maternal relatives.

Within Class II, entry I is preferred over entry II, and so on. Now you can ascertain your entry level  accordingly. 

As far as your aunt's properties are concerned, at the time of her death your uncle was alive hence the properties shall devolve on him and subsequent to his intestate death, the properties shall devolve equally on his own class I or class II legal heirs accordingly. 

You as nephew can claim your Kaku’s bank accounts, Kaki’s bank accounts (indirectly through Kaku) and Kaki’s properties subject to existence of other heirs (siblings, other nephews/nieces), proof of lineage or through court process. You may have to obtain Legal Heir Certificate or Succession Certificate (for bank accounts) and possibly Letters of Administration (for property).

In spite of all your good intentions, you cannot have any legal claim over their estates.

For your aunt's death certificate: You can obtain a duplicate through the West Bengal eDistrict portal using the certificate and acknowledgement numbers you have. Since the certificate was already issued and linked to a mobile number, you may need to file a General Diary at the local Kolkata police station reporting the loss and denial of access by relatives, which serves as supporting documentation. If the online option fails, authorize a trusted representative in Kolkata with a power of attorney to visit the Kolkata Municipal Corporation's Health Department at 138, S.N. Banerjee Road.

For inheritance claims: Under the Hindu Succession Act, since both died without children and parents, their respective Class I heirs are relevant. For your kaki (aunt) who died first, as her husband (your kaku) was her nominee but predeceased her by one day, the nomination fails because a nominee must survive the account holder to receive funds. Kaki's Class I heirs would be her husband's heirs (since she has no children) — meaning your kaku's legal heirs. However, the one-day gap in death sequence is critical: courts generally require the nominee to survive the deceased to inherit through nomination.

Crucially, under Indian law, a nominee is merely a trustee/custodian, not the owner of the funds — the rightful legal heirs ultimately inherit the assets under succession law. For your kaku's accounts, as his friend is nominee, you as nephew do not qualify as a Class I heir unless your kaku's parents or other closer relatives are deceased. A succession certificate from a competent court would be required to establish legal heirship and claim the accounts and properties. The properties solely in kaki's name would similarly devolve according to intestate succession rules.

issue legal notice to bank bot to transfer funds to nominee .mention you are applying for succession certificate 

2) Legal heir certificate is to identify legal heirs .it cannot be used to claim share in bank accounts 

3) apply for succession certificate for claiming funds lying in bank account 

Immediately give the bank a written objection not to release the money to the nominee till succession is decided. A nominee is only a receiver, not the final owner of the money.
For bank accounts, the more suitable document is a Succession Certificate; a legal heir certificate is only basic family proof and is usually not enough in a disputed claim.
You can apply from abroad through a local lawyer / Special Power of Attorney holder in the District Court where the deceased last ordinarily resided or had property.
For your aunt’s account, if she died first and left no Will, her estate would normally first go to her husband; so your claim would usually arise, if at all, through your uncle’s estate, not directly.

Practical next step: send the bank and branch nodal officer an email today with both death details, family tree, and a clear request to freeze payout pending court certificate.

Since the bank is about to transfer your uncle’s funds to the nominee, you need to act immediately because once the amount is released, recovery becomes more difficult though not impossible.

Firstly, you should immediately send a written objection/representation to the concerned bank branch informing them that:

• You are a legal heir (Class II heir) of the deceased
• There are competing succession rights
• The nominee is only a trustee and not the owner

Request the bank not to release the funds without proper succession determination. Attach basic proof of relationship and death certificate details. This step can temporarily put the bank on notice.

Secondly, you should initiate legal proceedings for a Succession Certificate under Section 372 of the Indian Succession Act before the competent court. This is the most appropriate remedy for claiming bank accounts and movable assets. Once the bank is informed that such proceedings are being initiated or are pending, it may withhold disbursement.

If the bank still proceeds, you can seek an interim injunction from the court restraining the nominee from withdrawing or utilizing the funds.

Now, regarding your query on legal heir certificate vs succession certificate:

A legal heir certificate is a basic administrative document issued by local authorities to identify heirs, but it is generally not sufficient for claiming bank deposits or securities.

A succession certificate is issued by a civil court and gives you a legally enforceable right to collect debts and securities of the deceased. For bank accounts, the succession certificate is the correct and effective remedy.

Since you are abroad, you can execute a Power of Attorney in favour of a trusted person in India, who can file and pursue the succession certificate case on your behalf. Courts do permit representation through a duly executed and notarized/apostilled POA.

Once you obtain the succession certificate, you can submit it to the bank, and the bank is legally bound to release the funds accordingly, irrespective of nomination.

With respect to your aunt’s account, as already explained, you do not have a direct claim. However, if any portion of her estate devolved upon your uncle before his death, you may claim that limited share through your uncle’s succession proceedings.

In summary, you should immediately notify the bank to hold payment, initiate succession certificate proceedings without delay, and act through a Power of Attorney holder in India. This is the most effective way to protect your rights and prevent misuse by the nominee.

The nominee can disburse the amount received as death claim amount from bank to the immediate legal heirs as per the entry level mentioned above. 

If the legal heirs at entry level two are available then the legal heirs of other levels cannot claim any share as a right and so on.

You say that you are coming under legal heirs of IV level of entry, in that situation, if there are legal heirs available at the previous entry level then they only shall be entitled to a rightful share in the monies received from bank or insurance company.  Therefore you cannot stop the nominee from disbursing the monies to the entitled successor in interest or the eligible legal heir. 

The succession certificate is the proper and legally valid document to successors to succeed to the movable assets of the deceased.

If you are desirous of obtaining succession certificate you may have to apply for it by filing a case in the court competent by complying with the requisite formalities, You can authorize any close relative in India by executing a notarized power of attorney deed in his or her favor to file the case on your behalf and other needful acts in this regard. 

If the court grants the succession certificate and if you are named as one of the successors in interest then you may have to issue a legal notice to that person to transfer your share in the claim amount by attaching a copy of the court order. 

You can write to the bank about the same. And initiate legal action for non transfer 

Dear client

As an heir in Class II, you have no ability to prohibit the Bank to transfer money to the nominee as the Nominee is just a fiduciary and not the ultimate owner when it comes to what to do with the estate. The Bank must pay the Nominee as required by law; however, the Nominee will need to account to the lawful heirs in accordance with the succession laws.

To avoid any type of misuse by the Nominee once the Bank has made the payment to them, you should submit a written objection to the Bank, along with notified of your heirship and your intentions to claim the Estate. At the same time, you may file a Civil Suit/injunction in the appropriate Court to prevent the nominee from using the funds for wrongful purposes.

Legal Heir Certificate Vs. Succession Certificate
A Legal Heir Certificate is a document that identifies individuals as heirs. However, it will have limited use (i.e., primarily administrative). A Succession Certificate is issued under the Indian Succession Act and is stronger than a Legal Heir Certificate. A Succession Certificate is essential when trying to claim Bank Deposits, Securities, etc. You should file for a Succession Certificate.

Implements for You to Apply for a Succession Certificate from Outside of India
You can assign a Power of Attorney holder in India to file a petition in the District Court where the deceased person resided.

Once you have obtained the Succession Certificate,
You will need to provide the Bank with the Succession Certificate, identification, and a Claim Form to have the funds released by the Bank. If the funds have already been transferred to the Nominee, you may pursue legal action against the Nominee to obtain your share through the Court.

if you have any query please feel free to contact us

How to Block the Bank Transfer

You can block the transfer by immediately filing a civil suit or a succession petition under Section 372 of the Indian Succession Act before a competent court and serving notice to the bank. As established by the Kerala High Court in Shiji Roshan v. Bank of India, when legal heirs raise a dispute regarding the nomination's validity or their succession rights, the bank cannot release funds until the dispute is settled . The nominee holds money only in trust for legal heirs . Once you inform the bank about the pending legal proceeding with documentary proof, they are restrained from making the payment. You should also file an application for a temporary injunction to prevent the bank from disbursing funds until your rights are adjudicated.

Difference Between Legal Heir and Succession Certificate

A Legal Heir Certificate is issued by local revenue authorities (Tehsildar/Talukdar) to identify all legal heirs of a deceased person, typically used for claiming pension, government dues, and service benefits. It costs nominally and is issued within 15-30 days . A Succession Certificate is issued by a Civil Court under the Indian Succession Act, granting authority to inherit debts and securities of the deceased. It requires court fees of 2-4% of the asset value, involves public notice and hearings, and takes 5-8 months to obtain . For claiming your uncle's and aunt's bank accounts as a Class II heir, a Succession Certificate is more suitable because banks require it for higher-value claims and when there are competing claims from nominees or other heirs, as it provides greater legal authority and court protection .

How to Obtain Certificates from Abroad

You can obtain both certificates while staying abroad by engaging a lawyer in India through a properly executed Power of Attorney (POA). The POA must be notarized in your country of residence and apostilled (or consularized at the Indian embassy) to be valid in India . Your Indian lawyer will file the succession petition in the district court where the deceased last resided or where their assets are located. You need to provide the death certificate, proof of relationship, your passport copy, visa details, and address proof abroad. The court may require your appearance through video conferencing, which Indian courts now permit. For a Legal Heir Certificate, your authorized representative can apply to the Tehsildar office with the POA and required documents .

Process to Claim Funds After Receiving Certificate

Once you receive the Succession Certificate, you must submit it to the bank along with the deceased's death certificate, your identity proof, and a duly filled claim form. The RBI mandates banks to settle claims without insisting on additional bonds or indemnity when a valid Succession Certificate is produced . For accounts with nominees, you must also serve a legal notice to the nominee asserting that they hold the funds in trust for legal heirs. If the nominee has already received the money, you can file a recovery suit. The process typically takes 15-30 days after submission of complete documents. For your aunt's bank account, a separate succession certificate may be required unless she was a joint account holder with survivorship clause .

You're giving a general call to all the advocates of this public domain which will be considered as solicitation by any advocate responding to your call and it is prohibited under the provisions of Advocates Act , however you may choose an advocate from this website hailing from Kolkata and willing to take up your case. 

Or you may to choose one from outside on your own. 

Best of luck 

Number of lawyers on this website from Kolkata like Mr Barman and Mr Ganguly having good ratings .contact  any of them 

You can appoint a local advocate in Kolkata through a Special Power of Attorney, who will handle death certificate, succession certificate, and bank notices on your behalf.
The advocate can coordinate with your POA holder and represent you fully before authorities and court.
Do not share contacts publicly—engage through a verified legal platform or direct consultation.

Next step you may consider

Take a phone consultation with a Kolkata-based advocate to discuss POA execution and complete process before proceeding.

Yes, several advocates in Kolkata are well-equipped to handle your case. As an NRI, you can authorize a local representative through a Special Power of Attorney (SPoA) to act on your behalf in court without you being physically present . This process is standard for obtaining a succession certificate from a Kolkata district court under the Indian Succession Act, 1925 . The lawyer will manage the entire process, including drafting the petition, publishing the mandatory public notice, obtaining the certificate, and then serving notices to the banks to transfer the accounts . For a reliable contact, you can reach out to Advocate Abhishek Dutt, who practices in Kolkata and lists succession certificates as a key area of expertise .