The appellants herein claim that they are the sons of the first respondent through his first wife namely, Periyammal. Therefore, it is incumbent on the part of the appellants to prove not only the factum of mariage of Periyammal with the first respondent, but they should also prove that the marriage of Periyammal had taken place prior to the marriage of Kannammal with the first respondent. In the case on hand, in order to prove the marriage of Periyammal with the first respondent, there is no direct evidence available on record.The appellants have only produced the Voter's List Ex.A3 and Ex.A11 to prove that the appellants and their mother Periyammal lived along with the family of the first respondent. Further, the appllants have relied on the evidence of the Panchayat President, who was examined as P.W.2 to prove the factum of the alleged marriage. The mother of the appellants was examined as P.W.3 and she deposed that she got married to the first respondent and the case of the respondents that she got married to one Azhagan was not proved. However, a close scrutiny of P.W.3 evidence would make it clear that though she had admitted that as per the custom and usage prevailing in the family, the marriage would be solemnized only after printing of invitation, but in her case, no such invitation was printed. She also admitted that at the time of marriage, the essential feature of the Hindu Marriage namely, Sapthabathi was not followed. Therefore, the evidence of
