ORDER : The petitioner is said to be a karnavan of a very ancient and premier Namboodiri family in the erstwhile State of Cochin. This State was integrated with the erstwhile State of Travancore; and the United State of Travancore and Cochin was formed with effect from the first day of July, 1949 as per a covenant entered into between the Ruler of these two States. Subsequently this integrated State came to be known as the State of Travancore-Cochin, and became one of the States in Part B of the I Schedule to the Constitution. As result of the States Re-organisation Act, 1056, the State of Travancore-Cochin ceased to exist; and the State of Kerala was formed consisting of a major

part of the State of Travancore-Cochin and what was known as the Malabar District of the former State of Madras. Kerala State was formed with effect from 1-11-1956.

The petitioner claims that the members of his Mana are traditionally erudite Scholars in the Rig Veda, and were the hereditary high priests of the community, and that in recognition of these qualities and in consideration of the services rendered by them to the then State of Cochin, the Maharaja granted certain lands to the petitioner's Mana free

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