The second defendant is the appellant herein.

2. The first respondent/plaintiff has filed the suit praying for partition of the suit property and allot one-seventh share to him. He has also prayed for mesne profits.

3. The first defendant Padmavathi is the wife of late V.K.Palani. The second defendant and the plaintiff are the sons and the defendants 3 to 6 are the daughters of V.K.Palani.

4. The plaintiff would contend in the plaint that his father V.K.Palani left behind him a tiled house bearing Door No.10, Nelsonmanickam Road, Chennai-94. After the demise of V.K.Palani, the plaintiff and the second defendant constituted a Hindu joint family and improved the said property. Though the joint family properties are undivided, the plaintiff and the second defendant started living separately from the year 1977. The properties are under the management of the second defendant. Alleging that there was no proper response from the second defendant for the demand for partition of the properties by metes and bounds, the plaintiff prays for division of the property and allotment oneseventh share therein.

5. The third to sixth defendants remained exparte before the Trial Court proc