TION Criminal Appeal No 302 of 1990
From the Judgment and Order dated 2911990 of the Delhi High Court in Crl
Writ Petition No 657 of 1989
Harjinder Singh and RN Joshi for the Appellant
NS Hegde Additional Solicitor General and Udai Lalit for the Respondents
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by section RATNAVEL PANDIAN J
Leave granted
This appeal is directed by the detenu Mahesh Kumar Chauhan Banti questioning the correctness of the judgment made in Criminal Writ Petition No 65789 by the High Court of Delhi dismissing the petition as devoid of any merit
The above Writ Petition out of which this present appeal has arisen was filed by the appellant Mahesh Kumar Chauhan against the order of detention dated 1371989 clamped upon him by the first respondent Union of India in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 31 of the hereinafter referred to as the Act  with a view to pre venting the detenu from engaging in transporting and con cealing smuggled goods and dealing in smuggled goods other wise than by engaging in keeping smuggled goods
The entire facts of the case are well set out in the grounds of detention and therefore we think that it is not necessary to reiterate the same
Mr Harjinder Singh learned counsel appearing on behalf of the appellant raised a variety of contentions one of which being that there is an inordinate and unexplained delay in considering and disposing of the representation of the detenu dated 18889 and as such the continued detention of the appellant is impermissible and unconstitutional as being violative of the mandatory provisions of Article 225 of the Constitution of India
982 In the counter affidavit filed on behalf of the respond ent before the High Court the declarant namely Joint Secretary Department of Revenue Ministry of Finance while refuting the allegation of the appellant that his represen tation has been dealt with in cavalier manner  has stated that the petitioner has made his representation on 218 1989 and not on 1881989 as alleged by the appellant and that it was received in the office of his Department on 23889 and the same was forwarded to the concerned sponsor ing authority on 2581989
The Sponsoring Authority sent his comments only on 1191989
Thereafter the representa tion along with the comments was processed and put up before the Ministry of State for Revenue who considered and re jected the same on 1591989 subject to the approval of the Finance Minister
On 18989 the file was received back from the Finance Minister s office and the memorandum was issued on 19989 rejecting the representation
Mr Harjinder Singh submitted that the offices of the detaining authority and the sponsoring authority are within the metropolis of Delhi and that there is absolutely no explanation for the delay occasioned on the part of the sponsoring authority in send ing his comments till 1191989 though the representation was sent for comments to the said authority even on 2581989 and that this considerable delay at the hands of the sponsoring authority stands unexplained vitiating the order of detention
In support of the above contention he placed much reliance on the decision of this Court in Rama Dhondu Borade vs
VK Saraf Commissioner of Police  Ors to which one of us Ratnavel Pandian J was a party
In the above cited decision this Court after referring to the dictum laid down in Smt
Shalini Soni vs Union of India  and some other decisions of this Court dealing with the similar questions of delayed disposal of representation has laid down the following proposition of law The detenu has an independent constitutional right to make his representation under Article 225 of the Constitution of India
Correspondingly there is a constitutional mandate commanding the concerned authority to whom the detenu for wards his representation questioning the correctness of the detention order clamped upon him and requesting for his release to consider the said representation within reasona ble dispatch and to dispose the same as expeditiously as possible
This constitutional requirement must be satisfied with respect but if this constitutional imperative is ob served in breach it would 983 amount to negation of the constitutional obligation render ing the continued detention constitutionally impermissible and illegal since such a breach would defeat the verycon cept of liberty the highly cherished right which is en shrined in Article 21 of the Constitution
 However in the same decision it has been pointed out What is reasonable dispatch depends on the facts and cir cumstances of each case and no hard and fast rule can be laid in that regard
 We hasten to say in this connection that inspite of the fact this Court in a series of decisions has repeatedly and consistently laid down the rule in precise and clear terms that all the procedural safeguards prescribed in under Article 225 of the Constitution of India should be scrupu lously and strictly observed one of which as ingrained in our system of judicial interpretation being that the detenu shall be afforded an earliest opportunity of making a repre sentation against the validity of the order of detention clamped upon him and that representation should be consid ered and disposed of as expeditiously as possible How far this Court has seriously viewed the culpable suppine indifference callousness and recalcitrant attitude on the part of the appropriate authorities who while dealing with the representations at various stages and disposing of the same cause considerable delay is prismatically reflected with enhanced intensity through a plethora of pronouncements of this apex Court
We may appositely refer to a few
Shelat J in Khairul Haque vs State of West Bengal Writ Petition No 246 of 1969 decided on 10969 reported in 1969 II Supreme Court Weekly Reports 529 after referring two earlier decisions in Sk Abdul Karim and Others vs State of West Bengal and Durga Show and Ors
vs State of West Bengal  has observed thus The fact that article 225 enjoins upon the detaining author ity to afford to the detenu the earliest opportunity to make a representation must implicitly mean that such representa tion must when made be considered and disposed of as expeditiously as possible otherwise it is obvious that the obligation to furnish the earliest opportunity to make a representation loses both its purpose and meaning
emphasis supplied 984 A Constitution Bench of this Court in Jayanarayan Sukul vs State of West Bengal  19 has highly depricated the conduct of appropriate authorities in unduly and unreasonably delaying the consideration and disposal of a representation and stated as follows The reason for immediate consideration of the representa tion is too obvious to be stressed
The personal liberty of a person is at stake
Any delay would not only be an irre sponsible act on the pan of the appropriate authority but also unconstitutional because the Constitution enshrines the fundamental right of a detenu to have his representation considered and it is imperative that when the liberty of a person is in peril immediate action should be taken by the relevant authorities emphasis supplied  Sarkaria J in Shaik nanif  Ors
vs State of W B  has expressed as follows It is the duty of the Court to see that the efficacy of the limited yet crucial safeguards provided in the law of preventive detention is not lost in mechanical routine dull  casualness and chill indifference on the part of the authorities entrusted with their application
In Raisuddin vs State of UP    it is pointed out    if on such examination it is found that there was any remissness indifference or avoidable delay on the part of the detaining authorityState
Government in dealing with the representation the Court will undoubtedly treat it as a factor vitiating the continued detention of the detenu    Chinnappa Reddy J in Frances Coralie Muffin vs WC Khambra and Others   has expressed his view saying   
No allowance can be made for lathgargic indifference
No allowance can be made for needless procras tination
 We do not like to swell this judgment by recapitulating all the pronouncements of this Court on this point
985 Now the unchallengeable legal proposition that emerges from a host of decisions a few of which we have referred to above
is that a representation of a detenu whose liberty is in peril and deprived should be considered and disposed of as expeditiously as possible otherwise the continued deten tion will render itself impermissible and invalid as being violative of the constitutional obligation enshrined in Article 225 of the Constitution and if any delay is oc cured in the disposal of a representation such delay should be explained by the appropriate authority to the satisfac tion of the Court
Inspite of the weighty pronouncements of this Court making the legal position clear it is still disquiting to note that on many occasions the appropriate authorities cause considerable delay in considering and disposing of representations and also exhibit culpable indifference in explaining such delay
We feel that in case the appropriate authority is unable to explain personally the delay at various stages then it will be desirable indeed appropri ate for the concerned authority or authorities at whose hands the delay has occurred to individually explain such delay
The next question is should or can the Court in the absence of any explanation wink at or skip over or ignore such an infringement of the constitutional mandate and uphold an order of detention merely on the ground that the enormity of allegations made in the grounds of detention is of very serious nature as in the present case Our answer would be Not at all 
In this connection it will be relevant to make refer ence to the view expressed by Mathew J speaking for the majority in Prabhu Dayal Deorah vs The District Magistrate Kamrup and Others  which is as follows We say and we think it is necessary to repeat that the gravity of the evil to the community resulting from antiso cial activities can never furnish an adequate reason for invading the personal liberty of a citizen except in ac cordance with the procedure established by the Constitution and the laws
The history of personal liberty is largely the history of insistence on observance of procedure
And ob servance of procedure has been the bastion against wanton assaults on personal liberty over the years
Under our Constitution the only guarantee of personal liberty for a person is that he shall not be deprived of it except in 986 accordance with the procedure established by law
 Reverting to the facts of the present case as submitted by the learned counsel except merely mentioning that the representation was forwarded to the concerned sponsoring authority on 2581989 and the comments from the sponsoring authority was received by the Department on 1191989 there is absolutely no explanation as to why such a delay had occurred
Therefore in the light of the proposition laid down in Rama Dhondu Borade s case albeit we have no other option except to allow this appeal on the ground that this undue and unexplained delay is in violation of the constitu tional obligation enshrined in Article 225 of the Consti tution of India rendering the impugned order invalid
For the foregoing reasons we set aside the order of the High Court allow the appeal and direct the detenu to be set at liberty forthwith unless his detention is required for some other cause
NPV Appeal al lowed
987 SHAMBHU DAYAL AGARWALA V STATE OF WEST BENGAL AND ANR
MAY 3 1990 section RANGANATHAN AND AM AHMADI JJ  Sections 3 6A to 6C 6E and 71 b Seizure of essential commodity under sec tion 6A Breach of order under section 3 Prosecution pro ceedings pending Bar on courts to make an order with regard to the possession delivery disposal release or distribu tion of such commodity except the Collector Whether the Collector empowered to release the seized goods to owner or to the person from whom the commodity is seized On September 20 1987 the officers of the Enforcement Branch raided the factory premises of the Appellant engaged in the manufacture of Mustard Oil
562 bags of mustard seeds and 262 tins of oil were seized for alleged violation of the conditions of licence as well as orders issued under section 3 of the Act
An FIR was lodged with the police and as required under section 6A the report of the seizure of the goods was also made to the Collector followed by filing of a Chargesheet before the Special Judge
The petitioner moved the High Court by a writ Petition for quashing the proceed ings
The learned single Judge of the High Court disposed of the Writ Petition reserving liberty to the Petitioner to move the concerned Collector for release of the seized goods
The Petitioner accordingly moved an application under section 6E before the concerned Additional Collector for release of the seized goods
The Collector dropped the confiscation proceedings and ordered the release of the seized goods to the Petitioner
Against this order the State Government preferred a Revision to the High Court
The High Court allowed the Revision and set aside the order of re lease of the seized goods passed by the Collector holding that under the provisions of section 6A read with section 6E of the Act the Collector had no power to release the seized goods
Aggrieved by this order the Petitioner has come up in appeal by special leave to this Court
Dismissing the appeal
this Court
HELD The Scheme of sections 6A 6B and 6C makes it clear that after the essential commodity is seized and the same is inspected by the concerned Collector the latter has to decide after complying with the 988 procedure set out in section 6B whether or not to confis cate the essential commodity
Since the procedure delineated in section 6B is time consuming the Collector has been given special power to sell the essential commodity as stated in sub section 2 of section 6A if it is subject to speedy and natural decay or it is expedient in public inter est so to do
If the Collector decides not to confiscate the commodity and if no prosecution is launched or contemplated the commodity has to be returned to the owner or person from whom it was seized
If in the meantime it is sold in exer cise of power under sub section 2 of Section 6A the price of Commodity has to be paid as provided by sub section 3 of section 6A 998C E Sub section 2 of section 6C uses the prefix return  followed by the words the essential commodity seized  and not the word release 
It seems that having regard to the scheme of the Act the object and purpose of the statute and the mischief it seeks to guard against the word release  is used in the limited sense of release for sale etc so that the same becomes available to the consumer public
There could be no question of releasing the commodity in the sense of returning it to the owner or person from whom it was seized even before the proceeding for confiscation stood completed and before the termination of the prosecution in the acquittal of the offender
998F H  CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION Criminal Appeal No 3 10 of 1990
From the Judgment and Order dated 115
1988 of the Calcutta High Court in Crl
No 402 of 1988
PP Rao RK Gupta and PC Kapur for the Appellant
Kapil Sibbal Additional Solicitor General G Venkatesh Rao DK Sinha JR Das HK Puri and A Paul for the Respondents
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by AHMADI J Special leave granted
The short question which arises for our determination is whether the Collector to whom a report of seizure of any essential commodity is made under section 6A of the Essen tial Commodities Act 1955 hereinafter called the Act  is empowered by virtue of section 6E of the Act to release the goods seized in pursuance of an order made 989 under section 3 in relation thereto during the pendency of the proceedings before the Special Court The facts in brief are as Under The petitioner being engaged in the manufacture of mustard oil at his factory at 1 Canal Road Police Station Behala Calcutta 53 was required to maintain a stock of mustard seed at his factory premises
A contingent of offi cers of the District Enforcement Branch led by the Investi gating Officer Gopal Mosat the complainant raided the factory premises of the petitioner on the morning of Sunday September 20 1987 in the absence of the petitioner
The said raid continued till the early hours of September 21 1987
During the said raid 562 bags of Mustard Seeds and 267 tins of Mustard Oil weighing about 3992 quintals were seized for purported infraction of the conditions of the licence as well as the orders issued under section 3 of the Act
The Investigating Officer filed a written complaint in that behalf at the Behala Police Station which came to be treated as the First Information Report
The report of the seizure of the essential commodity was made to the concerned Collector as required by section 6A of the Act for initiat ing confiscation proceedings
On September 27 1987 a charge sheet was filed before the learned Special Judge
It may be mentioned that before the submission of the charge sheet a Writ Petition was filed in the High Court wherein certain interim orders were made with which we are not concerned
Suffice it to say that the said Writ Petition was disposed of by a learned Single Judge of the High Court on February 2 1988 reserving liberty to the petitioner to apply for release of the seized goods to the Collector before whom the confiscation proceedings were pending
Thereupon the petitioner preferred an application on Febru ary 9 1988 under section 6E of the Act before the Addition al Collector for release of the seized commodities
On March 11 1988 the said officer dropped the confiscation proceed ings albeit without prejudice to the prosecution pending before the Special Judge and directed the release of the seized commodities
Feeling aggrieved by the said order of release the State Government invoked the revisional juris diction of the High Court
The said Criminal Revision No 402 of 1988 was allowed by the High Court on May 11 1988
The High Court set aside the impugned order of release of the seized goods holding that under the provisions of sec tion 6A read with section 6E of the Act the Collector had no power to order release of the seized commodity
The High Court approached the question thus Under Section 6A of the Act the Collector has under certain circumstances been given power to confiscate the 990 goods
By Section 6A the Collector has not been given any power to release the goods
Section 6E is to be read in the perspective of the provision of Section 6A of the Act be cause of the phrase pending confiscation under Section 6A used in Section 6E
If the Collector has not been given any power to release the goods under Section 6A it can never be assumed that by Section 6E which gives some interim power to the Collector with reference to the proceeding under Section 6A the Collector has been given any power to release the goods after finding that the goods cannot be confiscated
Under Section 6A the Collector may order confiscation of the essential commodities so seized
He has not been given any power to release the goods
 Mr PP Rao the learned counsel for the petitionerappellant contended that on the Collector having dropped the confiscation proceedings it was incumbent on him to pass the consequential order of release under section 6E of the Act
According to him since the jurisdiction of the Court to make orders with regard to the possession deliv ery disposal release or distribution of such essential commodity is specifically and expressly barred by section 6E of the Act the Collector alone has jurisdiction to order release of the seized goods
The words pending confisca tion  employed in section 6E of the Act go with the word seize  and are therefore descriptive of the essential commodity and are not intended to limit the powers of the Collector argued counsel
He therefore submitted that section 6E confers wide powers on the Collector to release the goods at any stage of the proceedings and the High Court was not justified in placing a narrow construction on the language of the said provision
On the other hand Mr Kapil Sibal the learned Additional Solicitor General while sup porting the impugned order of the High Court argued that the power to release conferred by section 6E on the Collec tor refers to release in favour of a third party and not the party from whom the essential commodity was seized
Accord ing to him if the construction placed on section 6E on behalf of the petitioner is accepted it would defeat the very purpose of the Act
therefore submitted that this was not a fit case to interfere with the order passed by the Division Bench of the High Court
In order to appreciate the rival view points we may at the outset examine the scheme of the Act
The Act as the Preamble reveals was enacted to provide in the interest of the general public for the control of production supply and distribution of and trade and commerce in 991 certain commodities
It extends to the whole of India
The dictionary of the Act is contained in section 2
Section 2ia defines Code  to mean the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973
Section 2f says that words and expressions used but not defined in the Act and defined in the Code shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Code
Section 3 empow ers the Central Government to provide for regulating or prohibiting the production supply and distribution of essential commodity and trade and commerce therein if the same is considered necessary or expedient inter alia for maintaining or increasing supplies of any essential commodi ty or for securing their equitable distribution and avail ability at fair prices
Sub section 2 of section 3 out lines what an order made under sub section 1 thereof may provide
Besides regulating by licences permits or other wise the manufacture or production of any essential commodi ty or the storage transport distribution disposal acqui sition use consumption etc thereof the order may inter alia provide for controlling the prices at which the essential commodity may be bought or sold and may also require any person holding in stock any essential commodity to sell the whole or a specified part of the quantity held in stock or produced or received by him or likely to be produced or received by him to the Central Government or a State Government or to an officer or agent of such Govern ment etc
Sub section 3 of section 3 provides for deter mination of the price to be paid to the person from whom the essential commodity is so purchased
Section 6 lays down that an order passed under section 3 will have effect not withstanding anything inconsistent therewith contained in any other enactment or instrument
Then comes section 6A which provides for the confiscation of essential commodity
Subsection 1 of this section may be reproduced for ready reference 6A Where any essential commodity is seized in pursuance of an order made under section 3 in relation thereto it shall be reported without any unreasonable delay to the Collector of the district in which such essential commodity is seized and the Collector may if he thinks it expedient so to do inspect or cause to be inspected such essential commodity whether or not the prosecution is instituted for the contra vention of such order and the Collector if satisfied that there has been a contravention of the order may order confiscation of a the essential commodities so seized b any package covering or receptacle in which such essen tial commodity is found and 992 c any animal vehicle vessel or other conveyance used in carrying such essential commodity  Sub section 2 of the said section empowers the Collector to sell any essential commodity if the same is subject to speedy and natural decay or it is otherwise expedient so to do in public interest at the controlled price if any fixed therefore or by public auction if no such price is fixed
If the Central or the State Government has fixed the retail sale price of such commodity under the Act or under any other law the Collector is empowered to order its sale through fair price shops at the price so fixed
Section 6B posits that no order of confiscation of any essential com modity or conveyance etc shall be made unless the owner or the person from whom it is seized has been served with a notice informing him of the grounds on which it is proposed to confiscate the same and he has been given reasonable time to make a representation in writing against the grounds set out in the notice and has been given a reasonable opportuni ty of being heard
This section incorporates the principles of natural justice to ensure that the owner of person from whom the essential commodity is seized has the fullest opportunity to satisfy the Collector against passing a confiscation order under Section 6A
An appeal is provided by section 6C against the order of confiscation passed under section 6A Section 6D clarifies that an award of confisca tion under the Act by the Collector shall not prevent the infliction of any punishment to which the concerned person is liable under the Act
We then come to Section 6E which was inserted in the Act in place of the existing provision by Act No 42 of 1986 with effect from 9th September 1986
Since the incident in question relates to a date subsequent to 9th September 1986 it is unnecessary to notice the earlier provision
Section 6E which confers exclusive juris diction on the Collector and in the State Government con cerned under section 6C to pass certain orders pending confiscation reads as under Whenever any essential commodity is seized in pursuance of an order made under Section 3 in relation thereto or any package coveting or receptacle in which such essential commodity is found or any animal vehicle vessel Dr other conveyance used in carrying such essential commodity is seized pending confiscation under Section 6 A the Collec tor or as the case may be the State Government concerned under Section 6 C shall have and notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any other law for the time being in force any court tribunal or other authority 993 shall not have jurisdiction to make orders with regard to the possession delivery disposal release or distribution of such essential commodity package coveting receptacle animal vehicle vessel or other conveyance
It is obvious on a plain reading of this provision that the same was brought on the statute book with a view to debar ring the courts from making any order with regard to the possession delivery disposal or distribution of any essen tial commodity seized under an order made under section 3 of the Act
Section 7 prescribed the penalties for the contra vention of any order made under section 3 and provides for the forfeiture of the essential commodity to the Government and for the forfeiture of any animal vehicle or other conveyance used in carrying the said essential commodity if the court so orders
Section 10A makes every offence under the Act cognizable and non bailable notwithstanding any thing contained in the Code
Section 11 provides that no Court shall take cognizance of any offence punishable under the Act except on a report made by a public servant as defined by section 21 IPC or any person aggrieved or any recognised consumer association
Section 12A empowers the State Government to constitute by notification as many Special Courts as may be necessary and Section 12AA which begins with a non obstante clause notwithstanding anything contained in the Code provides mat all offences under the Act shall be triable only by the Special Court constituted for the area in which the offence was committed
Section 12AC makes the provisions of the Code including the provi sions as to bail and bonds applicable to the proceedings before the Special Courts as if it is a Court of Sessions unless the Act provides otherwise
The above resume of the relevant provisions of the Act makes it clear that once an order is made by the Central Government under section 3 for regulating or prohibiting the production supply and distribution of any essential commod ity it shall have effect notwithstanding anything inconsist ent therewith contained in any other enactment or instru ment
Any person who contravenes any order made unless section 3 becomes liable to penal action under section 7 and the property in respect of which the order has been contra vened becomes liable to forfeiture
Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code the offence punishable under the Act for the contravention of an order under section 3 is cogniz able and non bailable and may be tried by the Special Court constituted for the area in which the offence was committed
Thus the breach of an order made under section 3 attracts penal consequences ie imprisonment and fine and also renders the 994 property seized liable to forfeiture
This is one conse quence of the breach of an order made under section 3 of the Act
The Act also provides section 6A that where any essential commodity has been seized in pursuance of an order made under section 3 in relation thereto a report of the seizure must be sent to the Collector without unreasonable delay on receipt whereof the Collector may inspect the seized property and on being satisfied about the contraven tion of the order made under section 3 may order the confis cation of such essential commodity and any package covering or receptacle wherein such essential commodity is found as well as any animal vehicle or conveyance used for carrying such essential commodity
If the essential commodity is liable to speedy decay the Collector is empowered to sell it at the controlled price if any or by public auction or through fair price shops if the retail sale price for such commodity is fixed
The price so realised minus the expenses incurred for effecting the sale has to be paid to the owner of the essential commodity or the person from whom it was seized a where no order of confiscation is ultimately passed by the Collector or b where the appellate order passed under Section 6C so requires or c where in a prose cution under the Act the person concerned is finally acquit ted
An order of confiscation made after following the requirements of section 6B does not prevent the infliction of punishment under the other provisions sections 7 to 10 of the Act
Thus confiscation of the essential commodity etc is not in lieu of punishment but can be in addition to the penal consequences
It is in this background that we must examine the controversy before us
Section 6A empowers confiscation of the seized essential commodity the package covering and receptacle in which the essential commodity was found and the animal vehicle or other conveyance in which such essential commodity was carried
The words may order confiscation  convey that the power is discretionary and not obligatory
Sub section 2 thereof confers a special power to deal with any essential commodity which in the opinion of the Collector is subject to speedy and natural decay or it is otherwise expedient in public interest to be disposed of in the manner indicated therein
Section 6A therefore merely confers power of confiscation and not the power of release disposal distri bution etc except to the limited extent permitted by sub section 2 thereof
Of course the second proviso to sub section 1 of Section 6A permits the grant of an option to pay in lieu of confiscation of any animal vehicle vessel or other conveyance a fine equal to its market price at the date of seizure
Section 6E was first enacted to debar courts from making any order with regard to the pos session delivery disposal or distribution of any essential commo 995 dity seized in pursuance of an order made under section 3 in relation thereto
By the substituted section 6E as it presently stands the scope of the provision has been en larged by extending the bar of jurisdiction of the Court tribunal or other authority to the release etc of pack ages coverings or receptacles as well as animals vehicles vessels or other conveyances also
It provides that whenever any essential commodity is seized under an order made in exercise of power conferred by section 3 in relation thereto no court tribunal or other authority shall have jurisdic tion to make any order with regard to the possession deliv ery disposal release or distribution of such essential commodity save and except the Collector pending confiscation under section 6A or the State Government concerned under section 6C
The question then is whether this power of release which is conferred on the Collector pending confis cation is wide enough to permit the release of the essential commodity to the owner or to the person from whom it was seized notwithstanding the pendency of prosecution for breach of an order made under section 3 in relation thereto The Act was enacted to safeguard public interest
It was thought necessary in the interest of the general public to control the production supply and distribution of and trade and commerce in certain commodities through legisla tion
With that in view powers to control production supply distribution etc came to be conferred on the Central Government by section 3 of the Act
As pointed out earlier in order to deter persons dealing in such essential commodities from contravening any order made under section 3 the law envisages two independent proceedings namely i confiscation under section 6A and ii prosecution leading to punishment provided by section 7 of the Act
In order to ensure that the steady supplies of essential com modities to the members of the general public is not dis rupted provision is made in sub section 2 of section 6A that the Collector may if it is expedient and in public interest so to do sell the seized commodity at the con trolled price or by public auction if no such price is fixed or through the public distribution system if the retail sale price is fixed for the said commodity
Similar powers can be exercised if the commodity is subject to speedy and natural decay
The obvious purpose of conferring this power on the Collector without waiting for the completion of the confis cation proceedings is to maintain the smooth supplies of essential commodities to the consumer public avoid artifi cial shortages maintain the price line and secure equitable distribution thereof through fair price shops
If such a power was not confined and if the seized commodity could not be dealt with till the completion of the confiscation pro ceedings it would defeat the very object and purpose 996 for which the Act was enacted
By the conferment of this power a duty is cast on the Collector to see that essential commodities are not locked up in proceedings under the Act artificial scarcity is not created to hike up prices a close watch is kept on the supplies to the general public when necessary in public interest the stock of seized com modities is released to combat short supply and in general to ensure the availability of essential commodities at fair prices to the general public
To ensure that this objective of maintaining supplies and securing equitable distribution of essential commodities is not defeated the legislature has entrusted the task to the Collector in its entirety and has ruled out interference by courts tribunals and other authorities by placing an embargo on their jurisdiction in this behalf by section 6E of the Act
While conferring wide powers as above on the Collector the legislature has also protected the dealer s interest by providing that in the event it is ultimately found that he was not guilty of contravention of any order made under section 3 he shall be paid the price realised with reasonable interest
But if the prosecution ends in a conviction section 71b enjoins that the property in respect of which the order was contra vened shah be forfeited  to the Government
The language of this clause is clearly mandatory and leaves no option to the Court but to order forfeiture
This becomes clear if we read this clause in juxtaposition with clause c which confers a discretion on the Court to order forfeiture of any packing coveting or receptacle in which the essential commodity was found or any animal vehicle vessel or any other conveyance which was used to carry the same
If the property is re turned to the owner or the person from whom it was seized in exercise of power under section 6E it is difficult to understand how the Court would implement the mandate of clause b of sub section 1 of section 7 of the Act
But the learned counsel for the appellant argued that even in cases where the Collector sells the essential commodity under sub section 2 of section 6A and retains the price thereof the essential commodity ceases to be available for forfeiture under clause b of section 71 of the Act
He therefore submitted that the Act itself contemplates a situation which renders clause b of section 71 otiose where the essential commodity is disposed of by the Collec tor under sub section 2 of section 6A of the Act
He therefore saw no harm in releasing the commodity to the owner or the person from whose possession it was seized on condition that such person deposits the market price of the commodity on the date of seizure or gives a bank guarantee for the said sum
In this connection reference was also made to the provision in sub section 5 of Section 452 of the Code which inter alia provides that the term property  shall include in the case of property regarding which an 997 offence appears to have been committed not only such property as has been originally in the possession or under the control of any party but also any property into or for which the same may have been converted or exchanged and anything acquired by such conversion or exchange whether immediately or otherwise 
This definition can be invoked in view of section 2f of the Act which is not inconsistent with any provision of the Act
But this submission overlooks the fact that the power conferred by sub section 2 of section 6A to sell the essential commodity has to be exer cised in public interest for maintaining the supplies and for securing the equitable distribution of the essential commodity
If the essential commodity is returned to the person from whom it was seized or to the owner thereof the very objective of the Act would be defeated and the purpose of seizure would be frustrated The seizure has to be effect ed not for the sake of earning revenue ie the market price of the commodity at the date of seizure which may be ultimately forfeited but to prevent hoarding of essential commodities avoid artificial shortages maintain a steady supply to the community and ensure equitable distribution at fair and reasonable prices
If the seized commodity is returned by merely securing its value this objective of the act will be wholly defeated
That is why section 6A does not empower the Collector to give an option to pay in lieu of confiscation of the essential commodity a fine not exceed ing the market value of the commodity at the date of sei zure as in the case of any animal vehicle vessel or other conveyance seized along with the essential commodity
Only a limited power of sale of the commodity in the manner pre scribed by sub section 2 of section 6A is granted
This shows that the legislature did not intend to confer a power on the Collector to return the essential commodity to the owner or the person from whose possession it was seized
That is for the obvious reason that it would run counter to the very object and purpose of the enactment
And now to the structural setting and context in which the word release  is used in section 6E
While debarring courts tribunals and other authorities from exercising power in relation to the seized commodity power is con ferred on the Collector or the State Government concerned under section 6C to make orders with regard to the posses sion delivery disposal release or distribution of such commodity etc
This power can be exercised pending confis cation
The power conferred by this section is unqualified
The word release  is preceded by the words possession delivery and disposal  and followed by the word distribu tion  The setting and context in which the word release  is used makes it clear that it is not used in the sense of return 
In the first place as pointed out earlier it would completely defeat the 998 purpose and object of the Act if the essential commodity seized for suspected contravention of the order made under section 3 is returned to the owner or person from whom it was seized even before the confiscation proceedings were completed
Such an intention cannot be ascribed to the legislature
Secondly it is not possible to believe that the legislature would confer unqualified and unrestricted power to return the essential commodity to the owner or the person from whose possession it was seized before a decision whether or not to confiscate the same is taken
As the section stands if the interpretation put by the learned counsel for the appellant is accepted it would be permissi ble to the Collector to return or restore the commodity without imposing any condition pending confiscation pro ceedings
We are unable to persuade ourselves to accept the interpretation placed by Mr Rao on the word release 
The scheme of sections 6A 6B and 6C makes it clear that after the essential commodity is seized and the same is inspected by the concerned Collector the latter has to decide after complying with the procedure set out in section 6B whether or not to confiscate the essential commodity
Since the procedure delineated in section 6B is time consuming the Collector has been given special power to sell the essential commodity as stated in sub section 2 of section 6A if it is subject to speedy and natural decay or it is expedient in public interest so to do
If the Collector decides not to confiscate the commodity and if no prosecution is launched or contemplated the commodity has to be returned to the owner or person from whom it was seized
If in the meantime it is sold in exercise of power under sub section 2 of section 6A the price of the commodity has to be paid as provided by sub section 3 of section 6A If the Collector has ordered confiscation but the order is reversed in appeal under section 6C and no prosecution is pending sub section 2 of section 6C enjoins that the essential commodity should be returned  and if that is not possible its price together with reasonable interest
It is pertinent to note that sub section 2 of section 6C uses the words return the essential commodity seized  and not the word release the essential commodity seized 
It seem to us that having regard to the scheme of the Act the object and purpose of the statute and the mischief it seeks to guard against the word release  is used in the limited sense of release for sale etc so that the same becomes available to the con sumer public
There could be no question of releasing the commodity in the sense of returning it to the owner or person from whom it was seized even before the proceeding for confiscation stood completed and before the termination of the prosecution in_ the acquittal of the offender
Such a view would render clause b of section 71 totally nugato ry
It seems to us that section 6E is intended to serve a dual 999 purpose namely i to prevent interference by courts etc and ii to effectuate the sale of the essential commodity under sub section 2 and the return of the animal vehicle etc under the second proviso to sub section1 of section 6A
In that sense section 6E is complementary in nature
We are therefore of the opinion that the High Court was right in the ultimate conclusion it reached
Counsel for the appellant next pointed out that this Court had passed an interim order on December 8 1988 for sale of the seized commodity and for handing over the sale proceeds to the appellant on the latter furnishing a bank guarantee to the satisfaction of the Special Judge 24 Paraganas South Alipore
Despite this order the seized commodity had not been disposed of Mr Rao therefore contended that this Court should not assist the respondent State which had defied and thwarted the order of this Court
It is true that the seized commodity has not been disposed of to date
But it appears from the subsequent order of February 13 1989 as amended by the order of February 15 1989 that the only direction given to the Special Judge was to dispose of the pending prosecution within two months
It was further directed that the Special Judge will pass appro priate consequential orders regarding the release of the seized goods
It therefore becomes clear that when the subsequent orders were passed on February 13 and 15 1989 the appellant did not insist on the sale of the seized commodity as per the order of December 8 1988
The matter came up for hearing on subsequent occasions also but at no time did the appellant press for the implementation of the said order of December 8 1988
Even after the Special Judge recorded an acquittal and directed return of the goods the appellant did not seek implementation of the said order
Nor did the appellant move the High Court for the implementation of the said order in the appeal pending against the order of acquittal
It is therefore too late in the day now to contend that as the order of December 8 1988 has remained unimplemented we should refuse to grant any relief to the respondent State
For the reasons stated above we see no merit in this appeal and dismiss the same with costs
RN J
Appeal dismissed


Summary:
The appellant who was a candidate for election to Parlia ment signed a very large number of blank forms for the appointment of polling agents and made them over to one Kalyan Singh
Kalyan Singh passed on three of the forms to Kashmira Singh after inserting therein the name of a particular polling station
Kashmira Singh filled in the name of Amar Singh as the polling agent in one of these three forms and gave it to Amar Singh who duly signed the form filed it before the presiding officer of the polling station and acted as the appellant s polling agent
Amar Singh was a member of the armed forces but this fact was not known to the appellant or to Kashmira Singh or Kalyan Singh
After the poll the appellant was declared elected but on an election petition being filed his election was set aside on the ground that he had committed the corrupt practice of procuring the assistance of a person in the service of the Government
The appellant contended that Amar Singh had not been duly appointed as the appellant s polling agent as neither the appellant nor his election agent had made the appointment and that the appellant could not be held guilty of the corrupt practice for he did not know that Amar Singh was in the service of the Government and consequently did not have the necessary mens Yea
214 Held that the appellant did appoint Amar Singh as his polling agent by personally signing the appointment form
The fact that the name of the polling agent was written in the form by another person after the appellant had signed it does not make it an appointment by the other person
Held further that the appellant was guilty of the corrupt practice inasmuch as he appointed Amar Singh as his polling agent and Amar Singh by acting as the polling agent assisted in the furtherance of the prospects of the appellant s election
A presumption arises under section 1237 Explanation 2 that the appellant by so doing procured Amar Singh s assistance in furtherance of the prospects of his election irrespective of whether he intended to procure such assistance or not
The knowledge of the appellant whether the person whose assistance he procured was a person in the service of the Government or not was irrelevant
Mens rea was not a necessary ingredient of the corrupt practice