Actor Ayushmann Khurrana has hailed the Supreme Court verdict that gives daughters equal right to inherit property. He said it is a big and necessary step.

"The Supreme Court has held that daughters, like sons, have an equal birth right to inherit ancestral property, and the amendment to the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 will have retrospective effect. (It is) A big step, a necessary step and I welcome this verdict wholeheartedly," said Ayushmann.

The actor has carved his niche working in socially relevant films like "Shubh Mangal Saavdhan", "Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan", "Badhai Ho" and "Article 15".

The Supreme Court on Tuesday held that daughters cannot be deprived of their right to equality, and will have a share in parental property in accordance with the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005, irrespective of whether the father is alive or not at the time of its enactment.

A bench, headed by Justice Arun Mishra and comprising Justices S. Abdul Nazeer and M. R. Shah, said: "The provisions contained in the substituted Section 6 of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 confer status of coparcener on the daughter born before or after amendment in the same manner as son with same rights and liabilities."

Justice Mishra said: "A daughter is for a lifetime. Once a daughter, always a daughter."