Bare Act
The Kerala Heriditary Village Offices (Abolition) Act, 1961
The Kerala Hereditary Village Offices (Abolition) Act, 1961 formally abolishes all hereditary village offices and their associated privileges in the Malabar region of Kerala. It applies to individuals holding traditional, inherited positions responsible for local village administration, revenue collection, and boundary dispute settlements. By ending hereditary succession to public offices, the law modernizes civil administration and integrates local governance into the standard government administrative framework. To ensure fairness for affected officeholders, the legislation provides that individuals losing their positions are either absorbed into suitable state government roles or granted financial compensation through a solatium or gratuity.
- 1. Short title and extent
- 2. Definitions
- 3. Abolition of hereditary village offices together with incidents thereof
- 4. Power of District Collector to decide whether a person was the holder of a hereditary village office and appeal therefrom
- 5. Relief to holders of village offices abolished under the Act
- 6. Power to take evidence on oath, etc.
- 7. Enquiries and proceedings to be judicial proceedings
- 8. Power to make rules
- 9. Power to remove difficulties
- 10. Repeal and savings
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