This appeal by certificate, involves an examination of the, limits, of the respective. jurisdictions of the Settlement Officer/Tribunal and the Civil Court in relation to an inquiry under s. 9(1) of the Madras Estates (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1948 (for short, Abolition Act) and the effect of the Amending Acts .17 and 18 of 1957 and Act 20 of 1960 on cases regarding such an inquiry pending in or decided by the, Civil Courts. It arises out of the following facts :

During the pendency of the said appeal, the appellants instituted Original Suit No. 101 of 1954 (out of which the present appeal has arisen) in the Court of Subordinate Judge Srikakulam, against the respondents herein and others for the recovery of Rs. 15,681/19 as rent or damages for the year 1953 in respect of the lands cultivated by them in the area of village Kadakalla.

On January 22, 1958, the respondents herein made an application for permission to file an additional written statement for adding the plea that the suit village is an 'inam estate. On March 17, 1958, the trial court dismissed this application holding that the question %ough