Which one among the following is correct about the Doctrine of Lapse ?

The Doctrine of Lapse, primarily associated with Lord Dalhousie (1848–1856), asserted that the British East India Company, as the paramount power, had the right to approve or reject the adoption of heirs in dependent princely states [3]. While Hindu law traditionally allowed rulers without natural heirs to adopt a son with full political rights, Dalhousie asserted that such adoptions required prior British consent [3]. In the absence of a natural male heir or a British-approved adopted heir, the state would 'lapse' and be annexed into British territory [t1][t4]. This was demonstrated in the case of Satara (1848), where the ruler's deathbed adoption was not recognized, leading to immediate annexation [c2][t7]. The policy did not strictly forbid adoption for personal property but made annexation compulsory for the political state if the adoption lacked official British sanction [3].

Sources

1. [1] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 5: Expansion and Consolidation of British Power in India > Doctrine of Lapse > p. 124
2. [3] https://www.britannica.com/topic/doctrine-of-lapse