1. Defendants 4 and 5 in O.S. No. 21 of 1981, on the file of Sub Court, Ariyalur, are the appellants in S.A. No. 1194 of 1988, and 6th defendant in the same suit is the appellant in S.A. No. 1720 of 1988.

2. O.S. 21 of 1981 was instituted on 5.3.1979 by the plaintiffs therein as indigent persons. Plaintiffs, four in number, filed the said suit for partition claiming 6/7 shares in the plaint item. It is alleged in the plaint that plaintiffs 2 to 4 and defendants 2 and 3 are brothers and sisters of first plaintiff. First defendant is the mother of plaintiffs and defendants 2 and 3. Appellants are purchasers of portions of the plaint property.

3. It is further averred that the plaint property originally belonged to one Muthu Vijaya Oppilada Malavaraya Nayanar, father-in-law of first defendant and grandfather of plaintiffs. On his death, all his properties including the suit schedule property were inherited by his son Velusamy Vijaya Oppillada Malavaraya Nayanar, who was the husband of first defendant and father of defendants 2 and 3. The father died leaving behind him plaintiffs 1 to 4 and defendants 1 to 3 as his heirs. The property being joint family property of plaintiff