P. SATHASIVAM, J.

The plaintiffs in O.S. No. 7179 of 1977, on the file of the VIth Assistant judge, City Civil Court, Madras, are the appellants in the above appeal. They filed the said suit for directing the defendants to render proper accounts for the assets kept and left by A. D. Muthukrishna Naidu, since deceased on November 13, 1976, and for a decree for declaring the properties in the plaint schedule as joint family properties of the plaintiffs.

The case of the plaintiffs is as follows :

One Ramaswamy Naidu was the father of Rengiah Naidu, Bangaru Naidu, Janakiram Naidu and Muthukrishna Naidu. Rengiah Naidu was the father of the plaintiffs Nos. 1 and 2, grand father of plaintiffs Nos. 3 and 4. Bangaru Naidu was the father of plaintiffs Nos. 5, 7, 8 and 9 and husband of the sixth plaintiff. Ramaswamy Naidu died without any property. Janakiram Naidu earned enormous wealth during his lifetime and died issueless in 1955. His wife also died in 1956. The plaintiffs are the legal heirs. The properties left behind Janakiram Naidu were enjoyed by the other members of the joint family. Items Nos. 1 to 5 in para. 3 of the plaint, i.e., agricultural lands 3-13 acres at Kancheepu