Alfred Henry Lionel Leach, C.J.

1. The petitioner has applied for the issue of a writ of certiorari with the view to the quashing of the proceedings taken by the Hindu Religious Endowments Board for the cancellation of a lease granted to him by the trustee of the temple of Sri Adimooleswarar, Agaram, Chidambaram Taluq, South Arcot District. Notice was issued to the Board and the Court has heard the arguments of the learned Advocates who have appeared for the respective parties. In August, 1938, the petitioner applied to the trustee of the temple for a lease for a term of 99 years of certain lands belonging to the temple. His intention was to utilize the lands for salt pans. The trustee granted the lease and it was registered on the 29th of August, but it had not been sanctioned by the South Arcot Temple Committee and therefore admittedly it was invalid. On the 30th November, 1938, the matter of the lease was considered by the Committee which resolved to cancel it, but decided to sanction a new lease for a period not exceeding 25 years. In I pursuance of the resolution passed by the Committee the trustee granted a lease to the petitioner on the same terms as the cancelled lea