1. The appeal has been preferred by the 1st defendant in OS No.204/2012 on the file of the Sub Court, Alappuzha. The suit was one for partition filed by respondents 1 to 8 who are the children of one of the sisters of the appellant. The respondents 9 to 13 are the other sisters of the appellant. The 1st respondent, 5th respondent and 9th respondent died pending the appeal and the 14th respondent has been impleaded as the legal representative of the 1st respondent. As far as the 5th respondent is concerned, respondents 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8 were already on the party array as legal heirs and as far as 9th respondent, she had already relinquished her rights over the property in favour of the appellant, who is her sole legal heir.

2. The plaint schedule properties, which are three in number originally belonged to late C.P. Joseph who was the father of the appellant and respondents 9 to 13 and the grandfather of the plaintiffs. Sri. C. P. Joseph died on 25.08.1965. His daughter Alima Chacko who was the