78.
The answer is: C
Explanation
The correct option is C: both (a) & (b).
A suit through 'next friend' can be filed by a minor or a lunatic, who are not capable of protecting their own interests in a legal proceeding. A next friend is a person who acts on behalf of such a person without being a party to the suit or having any adverse interest to the person he or she represents. A next friend is different from a guardian, who is appointed by the court for a minor defendant.
A minor or a lunatic can claim partition of a joint family property by filing a suit through a next friend, but the court has to ensure that the suit is for the benefit of the minor or the lunatic.