 The headman system was abolished as an administrative system, with the titles of Mudaliyar (Mudali - මුදලි) and Muhandiram retained by government to be awarded as honors.This practice remained until suspension of Ceylonese honors in 1956.The minor headman positions where retained, surviving well into the 1970s when the post of vidane was replaced with the transferable post of Grama Niladhari (village officer).