Amol Rattan Singh, J.

These four appeals arise out of four suits filed by five persons who are parties to the lis. Two of the suits pertain to land falling in village Bakhlaur, then Tehsil Nawanshahar, formerly District Hoshiarpur (now District Nawanshahar), whereas two suits pertain to land falling in village Sooni, Tehsil Garshankar, District Hoshiarpur. The owner of the suit land, in all the suits, was stated to be one Shakuntla Devi, essentially whose wills stand to question in 3 of the 4 suits. In one suit, pertaining to land in village Bakhlaur, only a decree of permanent injunction was sought, though even in that case, the defendant did rely upon a will of Shakuntla Devi.

Civil suit No.25 was filed by Joginder Singh, husband of Shakuntla Devi, arraying as defendants therein one Usha Devi, her brother Baljit Singh, as also his minor sons Joga Singh and Deepak Kumar. Usha Devi and Baljit Singh are stated to be first cousins (paternal uncles' children) of Shakuntla Devi. The plaintiff sought a decree of declaration that he is the co-owner in joint possession of 24 kanals and 8 marlas of land, out of a holding of 97 kanals and 14 marlas, fully described in the plaint. He further sought a declaration that mutation no.1462 sanctioned in the name of the defendants, on the basis of an 'alleged will' dated 19.06.1995, stated to have been executed by his wife, Shakuntla Devi, in favour of the first defendant, i.e. Usha Devi, as also mutation no.1462 entered in the revenue record on the basis of an 'alleged will' dated 15.07.1992, again allegedly executed by Shakuntla Devi, in favour of the 3rd and 4th defendants, i.e. the minor sons of Baljit Singh (plaintiffs in Civil Suit No.208), be corrected in the revenue record, by entering a mutation in his (plaintiff Joginder Singhs') favour. He further sought a decree of permanent injunction, restraining the defendants from interfering in his possession over the suit land, and from alienating it in any manner. Alternatively, he simply prayed for a decree of joint possession.

Civil Suit No.208 was filed by the aforesaid Joga Singh and Deepak Kumar, minor sons of Baljit Singh, arraying therein as defendants their aunt Usha Devi, as also the aforesaid Joginder Singh, plaintiff in Civil Suit No. 25, husband of the late Shakuntla Devi. The plaintiffs in this suit also sought a decree of declaration, to the effect that they are owners/co-sharers in joint possession of the same land, measuring 24 kanals and 8 marlas, on the basis of a will registered on 15.07.1992, executed by the late Shakuntla Devi in their favour.

The suit by the minors was filed through their mother, also named Shakuntla Devi, (wife of the aforesaid Baljit Singh-defendant no.2 in Civil Suit No.25).

Civil Suit No. 25 dated 27.01.1996 and Civil Suit No. 208 dated 06.08.1999, both pertaining to land falling in village Sooni, were consolidated by the learned Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division), Garshankar, with evidence stated to be led in Civil Suit No.25. Both these suits were decided by a common judgment on 11.12.2001.

2. Both suits were dismissed by the learned Additional Civil Judge vide her judgment and decree dated 11.12.2001, against which four appeals were preferred before the first appellate Court (of the learned Additional District Judge, Hoshiarpur). Two appeals were filed by Usha Devi, who, being a defendant in both the civil suits, would seem to have no reason to file any appeal with the civil suits dismissed, but her appeals were so filed, on account of the finding by the trial Court that no declaration could be issued in favour of the defendants, i.e. Usha Devi and her brother Baljit Singh, to the effect that they are the legal representatives of the father of the late Shakuntla Devi (and consequently entitled to inherit the suit land). Similarly, Joga Singh and Deepak Kumar also filed two appeals