JUDGMENT

R.M. Lodha, J.

Leave granted.

2. The question that arises in this appeal, by special leave, is: whether the benefits of Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005 are available to the appellants.

3. The appellants and the respondents are siblings being daughters and sons of Chakiri Venkata Swamy. The 1 st respondent (plaintiff) filed a suit for partition in the court of Senior Civil Judge, Ongole impleading his father Chakiri Venkata Swamy (1st defendant), his brother Chakiri Anji Babu (2nd defendant) and his two sisters - the present appellants - as 3rd and 4th defendant respectively. In respect of schedule properties ‘A’, ‘C’ and ‘D’ - coparcenary property - the plaintiff claimed that he, 1st defendant and 2nd defendant have 1/3rd share each. As regards schedule property ‘B’—as the property belonged to his mother—he claimed that all the parties have 1/5th equal share.

4. The 1st defendant died in 1993 during the pendency of the suit.

5. The trial court vide its judgment and preliminary decree dated March 19, 1999 declared that plaintiff was entitled to 1/3 rd share in the schedule ‘A’, ‘C’ and ‘D’ properties and further entitled to 1/4th share in the 1/3rd share left by t