IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Reserved on 13^th of November, 2024 Pronounced on 29^th of January, 2025 Regular Second Appeal No.1704 of 1997 (O&M)

Kulwant Rai ....Appellant Versus Satish Kumar @ Mithu and others ....Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE PANKAJ JAIN Present : Mr. Rakesh Gupta, Advocate for the appellant.

Respondents No.2, 4 and 6 proceeded against ex parte vide order dated 05.11.1997.

Mr. M.L. Sarin, Senior Advocate with Mr. Ritesh Aggarwal, Advocate for the remaining respondents.

PANKAJ JAIN, J.

Plaintiff is in second appeal.

2. For convenience, the parties hereinafter are referred to by their original position in the suit i.e. the appellant as the plaintiff and respondents No.1 to 6 as defendants No.2 to 7.

3. Plaintiff filed suit for declaration claiming that he is owner in possession of the house described in the headnote of the plaint shown as ABCD and in the alternate the entire building is a joint Hindu family and co-pacenary property and the plaintiff is entitled to 1/2 share in the same. Further prayer is that sale deed dated 16.08.1985 executed by Goinda Mal in favour of defendant-Satish Kumar @ Mithu be declared as null and void. As per t