 The post of vidane was replaced with the post of Grama Niladhari in the 1970s) 

Following the formation of the State Council of Ceylon in 1931, one of its members, H. W. Amarasuriya, called for an inquiry into the headman system.A commission was formed made up of retired civil servants and lawyers headed by H.M. Wedderburn.The commission reported on reforming the headman system or replacing it with transferable district revenue officers.