THE HON'BLE MS JUSTICE G.ROHINI WRIT PETITION No. 15914 of 2010 Date: 07.07.2010 Between: G.C.Gurivi Reddy and others ..... PETITIONERS AND The Joint Collector, Kadapa, Kadapa District and another .....RESPONDENTS The Court made the following:- THE HON'BLE MS JUSTICE G.ROHINI WRIT PETITION No. 15914 of 2010 O R D E R : This writ petition is filed seeking a declaration that the proceedings of the 1st respondent dated 30.03.2010, directing sale of the seized stock (52 LPG cylinders) pending the enquiry under Section 6-A of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (for short, ‘the Act’), as arbitrary and illegal. A perusal of the impugned order shows that the said cylinders were seized under panchanama dated 22.03.2010 from Door No.12/68-19, Mydukur Town alleging violation of LPG (Regulation, Supply and Distribution) Order 2000. The petitioners who claim to be the consumers of various gas companies pleaded that the cylinders so seized included the empty cylinders returned by them to their distributor at Proddutur and the same were kept in the hotel premises at Mydukur which was being used as a transit point for the convenience of the distributors as well as the consumers. It is contended that the seizure itself is illegal and at any rate the 1st respondent, before whom the proceedings under Section 6-A of the Act are pending, committed a grave error in directing disposal of the seized gas cylinders pending confiscation proceedings. It is further stated that though the petitioners had orally represented for release of the seized empty cylinders as the distribution of LPG was stopped by the distributors for want of empty cylinders, the 1st respondent rejected their request and passed the impugned order directing interim disposal. Hence, the present writ petition. Having heard the learned counsel for the petitioners as well as the learned Government Pleader for Civil Supplies appearing for the respondents and keeping in view that the matter involves various disputed questions of fact and the enquiry under Section 6-A of the Act is pending before the 1st respondent, I am not inclined to express any opinion as to the claim made by the petitioners. Instead I deem it appropriate to dispose of the Writ Petition permitting the petitioners herein to make an appropriate application before the 1st respondent for release of the seized cylinders. If any such representation is made, the same shall be considered and appropriate orders be passed within a period of two weeks from the date of receipt of such representation. There shall also be a direction to the 1st respondent to conclude the enquiry pending on his file following due process of law, as expeditiously as possible, preferably within a period of four (4) weeks from the date of receipt of this order. Till such time, there shall not be sale of the seized stocks, if not already sold pursuant to the impugned order dated 30.03.2010. No costs. ​ ____________ Date: 07.07.2010 G. ROHINI, J Ivd