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Issues:
1. Whether the widow's gift is inoperative and affects the reversionary rights of the agnates. 2. Whether the suit is barred by previous proceedings in a different suit. 3. Interpretation of Sections 102 and 103 of Act X of 1877 regarding dismissal of a suit and its impact on bringing a fresh suit. 4. Determining if the cause of action in the present suit is the same as the previous suit. 5. Whether the cause of action in the present suit arose after the conclusion of the previous proceedings. Analysis: 1. The case involved a dispute where the plaintiffs, agnates of the deceased, challenged a gift made by the widow to a stranger, claiming it was inoperative concerning their reversionary rights. The key argument was whether the widow's gift could affect the reversionary rights of the agnates, given the widow's limited interest in the estate and the stranger's status in the succession. 2. The appellants contended that the suit was barred by previous proceedings in a suit initiated by two respondents seeking declaratory relief and an injunction against alienation of the deceased's property by the widow. However, the Privy Council noted that the plea in bar could only affect those two respondents and not the other plaintiffs, who sought a declaratory decree to protect their reversionary interests. 3. The judgment delved into the interpretation of Sections 102 and 103 of Act X of 1877, emphasizing that the dismissal of a suit under Section 102 did not operate as res judicata in favor of the defendant. It was highlighted that the plaintiff, whose suit was dismissed, was precluded from bringing a fresh suit on the same cause of action, which was distinct from the defense raised by the defendant. 4. The Court analyzed the cause of action in the present suit compared to the previous one, where the alleged intention of the widow to affect the estate through sale or mortgage was the crux. It was determined that the cause of action in the present suit, involving a de praesenti gift to a third party, was different and did not arise until after the conclusion of the previous proceedings, thus constituting a new cause of action. 5. Ultimately, the Privy Council affirmed the judgment, dismissing the appeal. It was concluded that the cause of action in the present suit was distinct from the previous one, as it arose after the conclusion of the earlier proceedings, thereby justifying the continuation of the present suit to protect the reversionary interests of the plaintiffs and their descendants.
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