Joseph Vithayathil, J.

The defendants who are 11 in number are the appellants. They are members of the London Mission Church at Kadamalakunnu in South Travancore. The plaintiff claims to be the pastor of that Church. The suit is for declaration that the plaintiff is entitled to conduct service in the church as pastor and for a permanent injunction restraining the defendants from obstructing him in the conduct of such service. The main allegations in the plaint are the following: The plaint church belongs to the London Missionary Society Corporation incorporated in England. The Corporation acts in Travancore through its power of attorney-holder, Rev. H. H. Eastaff (P. W. 3). The London Mission Churches in Travancore are in the possession and control of church workers appointed by appropriate councils and committees consisting of elected representatives of the churches. “The supreme body” that governed the churches was the Travancore Church Council (T.C.C.) which is now called the South Travancore Diocesan Council (S.T.D.C.). The London Mission Churches in Travancore were “in association with” the South India United Church (S.I.U.C.) till 26th September 1947 on which date th