IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) FRIDAY, THE EIGHTEENTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER TWO THOUSAND AND NINE PRESENT THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE GOPALA KRISHNA TAMADA WRIT PETITION NO : 20206 of 2009 Between: 1.Bhagirathi Mahapatro, S/o.Arjun Mahapatro, 60 years, Occ: Cultivation, R/o Koligam (v), Ichapuram Mandal, Srikakulam District and 2 others. ..... PETITIONERS AND 1 The Joint Collector (Civil Supplies), Srikakulam, Srikakulam District, and another. .....RESPONDENTS THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE GOPALA KRISHNA TAMADA WRIT PETITION No.20206 of 2009 ORDER: This writ petition is filed seeking a Writ of Mandamus declaring the action of the 2nd respondent in seizing the stocks of the petitioners vide mediator’s report dated 28.06.2009 and also initiation of proceedings under Section 6-A of the E.C. Act by the 1st respondent, as illegal and arbitrary and consequently sought for a direction to the respondents to forbear from taking steps for confiscation of the seized stock and release the seized stocks in favour of the petitioners forthwith. The petitioners are having agricultural lands and they raised paddy crop in their lands and the paddy produced by them was stored in the house of one Viswanatha Pati as they have no proper accommodation. On 27.06.2009, the 2nd respondent herein along with staff visited the house of said Viswanatha Pati and seized the stock of paddy in question under a cover of mediators report dated 28.06.2009. Pursuant thereto, on the basis of the report furnished by the 2nd respondent, the 1st respondent initiated proceedings under Section 6-A of the Essential Commodities Act. Hence the present writ petition. Heard both sides. Now that the proceedings under Section 6A of the Essential Commodities Act are very much pending before the 1st respondent, this Court is of the view that this writ petition can be disposed of without going into the merits of the case. The writ petition is accordingly disposed of with a direction to the 1st respondent-Joint Collector to complete the proceedings pending before him under Section 6-A of the Essential Commodities Act 1955 and pass necessary orders thereon, within a period of eight weeks from today. Pending consideration of the said proceedings, the seized stocks shall not be sold. No order as to costs. ___________________________ (GOPALA KRISHNA TAMADA, J) 18-09-2009 Gsn.