D 1 to D-7 and counsel for D-8 received notice on the affidavit of the PW.l, but they did not choose- to cross examine PW.l. - On 18.06.2014, the trial Court recorded the cross examination of PW.l by D-1 to D-8 as ‘nil’. Subsequently, the affidavits of PWs 2 and 3 were also filed. As can be seen from the record, on 26.06.2014 the trial Court recorded the cross examination of PW.3 by the defendants as ‘nil’. Thus, except filing written statement, the defendants no. 1 to 8 did not evince interest in prosecuting the suit. After long time, they filed the present petition stating that in the beginning of the year 2014, due to drought conditions in their area, they went to distant places to eke out their livelihood by working as agricultural coolies, as they have no properties and for some time they used to go out for fishing in the sea, which is their caste profession, and thereby they could not to come home for many days. They further claimed that as they believed that their advocates would look after the matter in the court as already written statement was filed, they did not pursue the suit from time to time aU these days. They further contended that it is only on receipt of notices from the court again, they approached the present counsel and got filed the vakalat and came to know that the suit was decreed on 14.07.2014 and even thereafter, for some
