A.N.GROVER, J.

(1) THIS is an appeal by certificate from a judgment of the Andhra Pradesh High court given in a petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution by the appellants.

(2) THE facts may be stated. The previous Maharajah of the impartible estate of Pithapuram in East Godavari District granted a lease on June 22, 1887, in favour of his third wife late Rani Subbayyamma Bahadur in respect of lands in various villages covering an area of acres 2669.65 cents. The Rani executed a will on 8/11/1914, bequeathing all her property including the lease-hold rights to the first appellant and on her death he succeeded to her estate. On 10/12/1956, the first appellant transferred his lease- hold rights in acres 2519.63 cents to the second appellant and reserved to himself the rights in and over the remaining area of acres 150.52 cents. The third appellant is an assignee from the second appellant.

(3) ON the enactment of the Madras Estate (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) (Act XXVI of 1948), hereinafter called the Act, the title of which was changed to the Andhra Pradesh (Andhra Area) Estates (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 19