THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE GOPALA KRISHNA TAMADA WRIT PETITION No.20041 OF 2009 ORDER: 1 The petitioner is a firm engaged in the business of edible oils, sugar and food grains and the said firm is having valid licences. The second respondent along with his staff visited the petitioner’s business premises on 12.09.2009 and also on 13.09.2009 and seized the entire stock on the ground that the petitioner is carrying on illegal business without having any valid bills and he is also not maintaining proper records. Thereafter the matter was reported to the Collector, who in turn, initiated proceedings under section 6 A of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (for short ‘the Act’). A show cause notice was issued on 14.09.2009 to the petitioner calling for his explanation and on the very same day an order for sale of the seized stock in public auction was also passed by the third respondent. The same is questioned in this Writ Petition. 2 Now that the proceedings under section 6 A of the Act have already been initiated and a show cause notice as provided under Section 6 B of the Act was also issued, the petitioner may be directed to offer his explanation, so that the said enquiry initiated under section 6 A of the Act can be completed. 3 Accordingly, this Writ Petition is disposed of at the stage of admission directing the petitioner to offer his explanation to the show cause notice issued by the first respondent within a period of two weeks from today and on receipt of the said explanation, the Collector may complete the enquiry initiated under Section 6 A of the Act and pass appropriate orders within a period of eight weeks thereafter. In the meanwhile, the stocks so seized from out of the business premises of the petitioner on 13.09.2009 shall not be sold by way of public auction. No order as to costs. ------------------ 17.09.2009 kvsn