IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) TUESDAY, THE ELEVENTH DAY OF AUGUST TWO THOUSAND AND NINE PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE GOPALA KRISHNA TAMADA WRIT PETITION NO : 16332 of 2009 Between: M/s. Om Kirana & General rep. By its prop. Dinesh, Kukatpally, Ranga Reddy District. ..... PETITIONER(S) AND The Assistant Supply Officer, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy District and another. .....RESPONDENT(S) HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE GOPALA KRISHNA TAMADA W.P.No.16332 of 2009 ORDER: According to the petitioner, he is carrying on business in rice and edible oils etc. in the name and style of Om Kirana & General, at Allwyn Colony, Kukatpally, Ranga ReddyDistrict. However, the civil supplies authorities have surprised his business premises and seized the stock on the ground that the petitioner is carrying on business clandestinely without having valid licence. On the basis of the report, furnished by the 1st respondent-Assistant Supply Officer, the 2nd respondent-Collector, Ranga Reddy District, initiated proceedings under Section 6-A of the Essential Commodities Act (for short ‘the Act’). Complaining the said seizure, the petitioner approached this Court and filed the present writ petition. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Government Pleader for Civil Supplies. The learned counsel for the petitioner contends that as the petitioner possessed only 40 quintals of rice, 2.50 quintals of red gram dal and 272 packets of edible oils, he does not require any licence issued under A.P. Scheduled Commodities Dealers (Licensing, Storage and Regulation) Order, 2008. Having regard to the fact that proceedings under Section 6-A of the Act have already been initiated, this Court is of the view that the stocks that were seized by the 1st respondent cannot be ordered to be released in favour of the petitioner. The 2nd respondent-Collector (CS), Ranga Reddy District, who is seized of the matter, is hereby directed to complete the proceedings under Section 6-A of the Essential Commodities Act, at the earliest point of time, preferably, within a period of eight weeks from today and pending such enquiry, the seized stocks shall not be sold. With the above directions, the writ petition is disposed of. No costs. _________________ 11th August 2009 kvr