THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NOUSHAD ALI WRIT PETITION No.24881 of 2011 Date: 06.09.2011 Between: M/s. Chilkuri Balaji Ground Nut Decartication Mill … Petitioner and The Joint Collector (CS), Visakhapatnam and another. … Respondents THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NOUSHAD ALI WRIT PETITION No.24881 of 2011 ORDER : Heard Sri Kowturu Vinaya Kumar, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner, as well as the learned Government Pleader for Civil Supplies appearing for the respondents. Having regard to the short relief sought for by the learned counsel at the hearing, with the consent of both the counsel, the writ petition is being disposed of at the admission stage. 2. The petitioner claims to be the Proprietor of M/s. Chilkuri Balaji Ground Nut Decortication Mill, situated at Koduru Village, Anakapalli Mandal, Visakhapatnam District, and running the said mill under a valid licence obtained from the competent authority under the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Schedule Commodities Dealers (Licensing, Storage and Regulation) Order, 2008 (for brevity “the Control Order”). On 18.8.2011, the 2nd respondent-Deputy Tahsildar (Civil Supplies), Anakapally Mandal, Visakhapatnam District, inspected the petitioner’s mill and found huge variation in the stocks of ground nut, ground nut Keshena and Bengal gram and that the petitioner did not maintain the accounts properly. Thus, alleging contravention of the provisions of the Control Order, the 2nd respondent seized the said stock under panchanama dated 18.8.2011 and a report to that effect was submitted before the 1st respondent-Joint Collector (Civil Supplies), Visakhapatnam, for initiating proceedings under Section 6-A of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. The petitioner denies the allegation of contravention of the provisions of the Control Order and states that he was conducting the business strictly in accordance with the conditions of licence. The petitioner states that he filed an application dated 29.8.2011 before the 1st respondent seeking release of the seized stock. Since no orders are passed on the said application and in the meanwhile apprehending that the seized stock would be sold, the petitioner has filed the present writ petition. 3. During the course of hearing, learned counsel for the petitioner seeks for a short relief to direct the 1st respondent to dispose of the said representation filed by the petitioner within a time frame and, in the meantime, not to dispose of the seized stock. 4. Indisputably, the petitioner made an application dated 29.8.2011 seeking release of the seized stock. In matters of this nature, the Statutory authorities are expected to pass appropriate orders expeditiously within a reasonable time. 5. Having regard to the aforesaid facts and also keeping in view the short relief sought for by the learned counsel for the petitioner at the hearing, the writ petition is disposed of directing the 1st respondent to consider and dispose of the application dated 29.8.2011 said to have been filed by the petitioner seeking release of the seized stock and pass appropriate orders in accordance with law as expeditiously as possible, preferably within a period of three weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. Till orders are passed on the said application of the petitioner, the seized stock shall not be sold or otherwise disposed of. No order as to costs. ________________________ JUSTICE NOUSHAD ALI 06.09.2011. NOTE: Issue C.C. in two days. (B/O) Msr THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NOUSHAD ALI WRIT PETITION No.24881 of 2011 06.09.2011 (Msr)