THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE R.SUBHASH REDDY WRIT PETITION No.28450 of 2010 ORDER: In this writ petition, petitioner seeks a mandamus declaring the action of the respondents in confiscating his vehicle bearing No.AP 9 TV 609 as illegal and consequently, to direct the respondents to release the same. On the ground that the vehicle was involved in transportation of 8 Nos. rosewood sizes of 0.244 cmt., valued at Rs.7,376/-, on the route from K.D.Peta to Dharmasagaram, it was intercepted stating that such transportation was not accompanied by valid permit. Pursuant to such seizure, the second respondent - Divisional Forest Officer, Narsipatnam, Visakhapatnam District, by judgment, dated 22.04.2010, ordered for confiscation of the vehicle in question along with the seized forest produce. As against the same, the petitioner preferred appeal before the first respondent – Chief Conservator of Forests, Visakhapatnam, on 10.05.2010 and the same is pending consideration. It is the case of the petitioner that there are no valid grounds to confiscate the vehicle and it was kept in the open place being damaged. In view of pendency of the appeal filed against the order of confiscation, it is not desirable to record any finding whether such confiscation order was correctly passed or not. As much as the seizure was effected in the month of April, 2010, order of confiscation was passed by the second respondent as early as on 22.04.2010 and the appeal filed by the petitioner is pending since 10.05.2010, I deem it appropriate to direct the first respondent/ appellate authority to dispose of the appeal preferred by the petitioner, within a period of four (4) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. It is needless to observe that before the appeal is taken up for hearing, the appellate authority shall give notice of hearing to the petitioner and dispose of the matter. Subject to the above directions, the writ petition is disposed of. No order as to costs. ______________________ R.SUBHASH REDDY, J 16th NOVEMBER, 2010. kvni