THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NOUSHAD ALI WRIT PETITION No.18555 of 2011 Date: 04.07.2011 Between: Sri Laxmi Rice Trading Company, Rep.by its Manager, Palvoncha Town, Kothagudem Mandal, Khammam District. … Petitioner and The State of Andhra Pradesh, Rep.by its Principal Secretary for Civil Supplies, Secretariat, Hyderabad and others. … Respondents THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NOUSHAD ALI WRIT PETITION No.18555 of 2011 ORDER : Heard Sri Pulla Rao Yellanki, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner, as well as the learned Government Pleader for Civil Supplies appearing for the respondents, and with their consent the writ petition is being disposed of at the admission stage. 2. This writ petition has been filed seeking to declare the action of the 3rd respondent-Deputy Tahsildar, Palvoncha, Khammam District, in seizing certain essential commodities from the business premises of the petitioner, as arbitrary and illegal. 3. The petitioner is running a rice mill in the name and style of M/s. Sri Laxmi Rice Trading Company, situated at Palvoncha Town, Kothagudem Mandal, Khammam District. On 7.5.2011, the 3rd respondent along with his staff inspected the petitioner’s rice mill and seized 576 quintals of paddy, 107 quintals of rice, 24-25 quintals of broken rice, and 40-40 quintals of brawn under a panchanama dated 7.5.2011 on the ground that the petitioner was not maintaining proper accounts and there were some variations in the said stock. Based on the report submitted in that regard, the 2nd respondent-District Collector, Khammam District, has initiated proceedings under Section 6-A of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (for brevity “the Act”) and a show cause notice dated 9.6.2011 has been issued calling upon the petitioner to submit his explanation. It is stated that the petitioner has already submitted his explanation. However, during the pendency of the said enquiry proceedings, the 2nd respondent is taking steps to dispose of the seized stocks. Aggrieved by the same, the petitioner has filed the present writ petition for the aforesaid relief. 4. The short grievance presented by the learned counsel petitioner is that during the pendency of the proceedings under Section 6-A of the Act, the 2nd respondent is taking steps to dispose of the seized stock and in which event the petitioner would suffer grave and irreparable loss. The learned counsel, therefore, submits that the 2nd respondent be directed to complete the enquiry within a time frame. 5. I am not inclined to express any opinion on the merits of the case, since an enquiry under Section 6-A of the Act is pending against the petitioner. However, in matters of this nature, the Statutory authorities are expected to conduct the enquiry and pass appropriate orders expeditiously within a time frame. 6. In the circumstances, I deem it appropriate to dispose of the writ petition directing the 2nd respondent to complete the enquiry initiated under Section 6-A of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 in pursuance of the show cause notice dated 9.6.2011 and pass appropriate orders as expeditiously as possible, preferably within a period of eight weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. Till finalisation of the said enquiry proceedings, the seized stock of the petitioner shall not be sold or otherwise disposed of. 7. Subject to the above directions, the writ petition is disposed of. No order as to costs. ________________________ JUSTICE NOUSHAD ALI 04.07.2011. NOTE:- Issue C.C. by tomorrow. (B/O) Msr THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NOUSHAD ALI WRIT PETITION No.18555 of 2011 04.07.2011 (Msr)