IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) THURSDAY, THE TWENTYSIXTH DAY OF NOVEMBER TWO THOUSAND AND NINE PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE GOPALA KRISHNA TAMADA WRIT PETITION NO : 25658 of 2009 Between: Bandaru Srinivasa Rao ..... PETITIONER AND The Joint Collector, Visakhapatnam District.and another. .....RESPONDENT(S) HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE GOPALA KRISHNA TAMADA W.P.No.25658 of 2009 ORDER: After obtaining valid licence, the petitioner is carrying on business in rice and pulses. The 2nd respondent-Civil Supplies Deputy Tahsildar, Sabbavaram, Visakhapatnam District, inspected the business premises of the petitioner on 12-11-2009 and seized the entire stock available at the business premises on the ground that the petitioner is not maintaining records properly. Thereafter, the matter was reported to the 1st respondent-Joint Collector, Visakhapatnam District, who in-turn, initiated proceedings under Section 6-A of the Essential Commodities Act, 1995 (for brevity ‘the Act’). After coming to know that the matter was referred to the 1st respondent, the petitioner approached the 1st respondent and filed an application on 16-11-2009 requesting him to release the seized stock. However, no orders have been passed. Hence, he approached this Court and filed the present writ petition. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Government Pleader for Civil Supplies. 3. As the proceedings under Section 6-A of the Act have already been initiated, the 1st respondent-Joint Collector, Visakhapatnam District, is hereby directed to dispose of the application of the petitioner, at the earliest, preferably, within a period of eight weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. In the interregnum, the stocks so seized on 12-11- 2009 shall not be sold. 4. With the aforesaid directions, the writ petition is disposed of. There shall be no order as to costs. ______________________ 26th November 2009 KVR