THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE ASHUTOSH MOHUNTA WRIT PETITION No.26308 of 2008 ORDER: The petitioners have prayed that directions be issued to the respondents to release the lorry bearing No. MH-26-H-7015, which contained 170 quintals of raw rice. According to the petitioners, the first petitioner is carrying on the business of trading and general stores in Mandadi Village, Veldurthy Mandal, Guntur District and the second petitioner is the driver of the said lorry and transporting the goods from one place to other. The first petitioner had sent an assignment of 170 quintals of raw rice in the said lorry on 13.11.2008. The Grain Purchasing Assistant, working in the office of the District Supply Officer, Nizamabad, seized the said lorry with stocks, as there was no Release Certificate issued by the concerned Collector or District Supply Officer. Aggrieved by the seizure of the lorry and raw rice, the petitioner filed this writ petition. This Court vide order dated 02.12.2008 issued interim directions for the release of the lorry as well as the stocks, subject to the condition that the petitioners shall furnish third party security to the satisfaction of the authorities. The learned Government Pleader for Civil Supplies submits that as the petitioner did not furnish the third party security to the satisfaction of the authorities, neither the lorry nor the stock was released. He further submits that proceedings under Section 6-A of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (for short ‘the Act’) are pending before the second respondent-Joint Collector, Nizamabad, and therefore, the respondent authorities may be directed to decide the proceedings expeditiously. In view of the fact that the proceedings under Section 6-A of the Act are pending before the second respondent, the second respondent is directed to decide the said proceedings expeditiously, preferably within a period of six weeks from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order. The writ petition is accordingly disposed of with the above directions. There shall be no order as to costs. ASHUTOSH MOHUNTA, J Date: 14.12.2010 va