Section 3 of the Ordinance, which is material for the present discussion, is as follows: " As soon as the administration of any covenanting State has been taken over by the Raj Pramukh as aforesaid all Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Rules, Regulations, Notifications, Hidayate Firman i Shahi, having force of law in Patiala State on the date of commencement of this Ordinance shall apply mutatis mutandis to the territories of the said State and with effect from that date all laws in force in such Covenanting State immediately before that date shall be repealed: Provided that proceedings of any nature whatsoever pending on such date in the courts or offices of any such Covenanting State shall, notwithstanding anything contained in this Ordinance or any other Ordinance be disposed of in accordance with the laws governing such proceedings in force for the time being in any such Covenanting State." This Ordinance came into force on August 20, 1948.