Advocates appeared:
For Appellant/Petitioner/Plaintiff: S.K. Puri, Sr. Adv. and Praveen Kumar, Adv.
For Respondents/Defendant: H.L. Kapoor, Adv. for D-1 and Maldeep Sidhu, Adv. for D-2 and 3

It is not strictly mandatory to seek mesne profits in a partition suit. The legal position allows for the possibility of claiming mesne profits even if they are not specifically included in the original suit or decree, provided the suit is still pending and the court's proceedings are ongoing. The court has the authority to direct an enquiry into profits and to grant a decree for the share of profits, even if such relief was not explicitly claimed or incorporated in the preliminary or final decree.

Furthermore, the court's duty includes making appropriate adjustments and divisions of profits earned or realizable from the properties during the pendency of the suit, to ensure equitable distribution among the parties. However, once a final decree becomes functus officio (i.e., the proceedings are concluded), the court generally cannot entertain claims for mesne profits unless a supplementary or additional decree is sought during the pendency of the suit.

In summary, while it is not mandatory to specifically seek mesne profits, the law provides mechanisms for the court to award or adjust for mesne profits during the ongoing proceedings of a suit for partition, as part of the court's duty to ensure just and equitable distribution of the properties and profits derived therefrom.