HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE R. SUBHASH REDDY WRIT PETITION No.19507 of 2010 Dated: 10-08-2010 Between: Dacharaju Narayana. … Petitioner And The District Collector, Nalgonda District & others. … Respondents HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE R. SUBHASH REDDY WRIT PETITION No.19507 of 2010 ORDER: In this writ petition, the petitioner has questioned the action of respondents in making attempts to conduct public auction for sale of the stocks seized in relation to a case registered under Section 6-A of the Essential Commodities Act, even prior to the expiry of statutory period of appeal against the orders passed by the 1st respondent-District Collector, Nalgonda, dated 21.07.2010, in Case No.CS1/759/2010. By the aforesaid order, the District Collector, who is the authority under Section 6-A of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, has ordered for confiscation of 297.50 quintals of BPT paddy, 342.25 quintals of BPT raw rice and 16.25 quintals of broken rice, which was seized from the rice mill premises of one Pendyala Koteswar Rao. It is the case of the petitioner that he is an agriculturist and that the said product is the agricultural produce, but the authority under Section 6-A of the Essential Commodities Act, without considering the same, has ordered for confiscation. It is also the grievance of the petitioner that the order is served on him only on 3rd of August 2010, and the respondents, without giving any time, are taking steps to sell the seized commodity by conducting public auction. Under Section 6-C of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, an effective alternative remedy of appeal is provided before the District Court, against the orders of confiscation passed by the authority under Section 6-A of the Act. In view of the specific remedy of appeal provided under the Essential Commodities Act itself, there is no reason to entertain this writ petition against the order of confiscation passed by the primary authority. As it is stated that the respondents are taking steps to auction the confiscated goods, I deem it appropriate to dispose of the writ petition, permitting the petitioner to approach the appellate authority. I further direct the respondents not to conduct any auction of the seized stocks for a period of two weeks from today. In the meanwhile, it is open for the petitioner to approach the appellate authority and obtain interim orders. Subject to the above directions, the writ petition is disposed of. No order as to costs. ______________________ R. SUBHASH REDDY, J 10th August 2010 N.B: Order by wire at party’s costs. (b/o) ajr