One Pasala Satyanarayana, who was the permanent village head- , man of the village of Jagannadhapuram in Tadepalligudem taluk, died on nth January, 1941, leaving behind him two minor sons. On 7th May, 1941, the eldest son was registered as an office-holder under the provisions of the Madras Hereditary Village Offices Act, 1895 (Act III of 1895) and one Subbaraju was appointed as deputy. On 6th June, 1944, the minor registered office-holder died and it was necessary to make a fresh appointment to the office. In the meanwhile the younger son had also died with the result that the progeny of Satyanarayana had become extinct. Thereafter the widow of Satyanarayana, after getting the authority of Satyanarayana’s father, adopted the present petitioner to her husband on 22nd June, 1944. In these circumstances, from 22nd June, 1944, the present petitioner became a member of the family of the deceased Satyanarayana as his adopted son. The widow, acting as the guardian of her adopted son, applied for the registration of the office of village headman in the name of the adopted son, the minor petitioner, and for the continuance of the deputy till the petitioner became a major. Two other