Krishnaswami Ayyangar, J.

1. A question of importance relating to bandhu succession under the Mitakshara system of inheritance has been the subject of two conflicting decisions in this Court and it is for the purpose of resolving the conflict that this second appeal has been placed before the Full Bench. The conflicting decisions are those to be found in Chinna Pichu Aiyangar v. Padmanabha Aiyangar (1920)39MLJ417 and Kesar Singh v. Secretary of State for India AIR1926Mad881 .

2. The last male owner of the estate involved in this second appeal was one M. Chenchi Reddi, who died long ago leaving a widow Chennamma. She took the estate as his heir, and died on 24th October, 1935. On her death, the estate devolved on the nearest reversioner. Who among the several claimants is the nearest, is the question which the Court has to determine. The competition was between three sets of claimants. Plaintiffs 1 to 3 claimed to be M. Chenchi Reddis fathers fathers sons sons, that is to say, the fathers paternal aunts sons grandsons. The second defendant claims to be M. Chenchi Reddis mothers fathers sons sons son, that is, the maternal uncles grandson. The fifth plaintiff is M. Chenchi Redd