There is no plea in the plaint regarding invalidity or otherwise of the sale deed dated 07.07.1989. The first defendant had filed a counter claim based on the said sale deed. It is not seen from the records that any reply statement was filed to the counter claim disputing the validity of the sale deed. The plaintiff would contend that he had purchased the property based on the entry in the patta, wherein the wife of Govindan was shown as joint pattadhar under Patta No.440. The said contention was not accepted for the reason that though the name of Lakshmi w/o Govindan was initially included as joint pattadhar in patta No.440, by the proceedings of the Tahsildar, Kulithalai dated 15.12.1999, Lakshmi's name was deleted from the patta and the said order was left unchallenged. As such, there is no valid evidence or proof of title of Lakshmi w/o Govindan after execution of sale deed dated 07.07.1989. Ofcourse, the land in question being classified as Grama Natham, a person in possession is entitled to the same. Admittedly, the husband of the vendor of the plaintiff had parted with the property even in the year 1989. Therefore, his wife Lakshmi has no right over the property, which she could validly convey to the plaintiff.
