THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NOUSHAD ALI WRIT PETITION No.14004 of 2011 Date: 08.06.2011 Between: Sri Vankayala Suryanarayana … Petitioner and The District Collector (Civil Supplies), West Godavari District at Eluru and others. … Respondents THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NOUSHAD ALI WRIT PETITION No.14004 of 2011 ORDER : Heard Smt. V. Padmaja Reddy, 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. Aggrieved by the inaction of the 2nd respondent-Joint Collector, West Godavari District, in passing orders on the stay application said to have been filed by the petitioner along with the appeal preferred against the order of the 3rd respondent-District Supply Officer, West Godavari District, Eluru, in Roc.No.CSII/100/2011, dated 5.5.2011, the petitioner has filed the present writ petition. 3. The petitioner is engaged in rice business under a valid licence issued under the A.P. Scheduled Commodities Dealer (Licensing, Storage and Regulation) Order, 2008. On 28.3.2011, the District Supply Officer, West Godavari District, inspected the rice mill of the petitioner and seized the foodgrains along with two lorries alleging that the stock is unauthorized and brought to mix the same in the damaged paddy milled by the petitioner. Proceedings have been initiated under Section 6-A of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, upon which the 1st respondent-District Collector (Civil Supplies), West Godavari District, passed an order in Roc.No.CSI/39/ECA/2010, dated 30.3.2011, directing the Deputy Tahsildar (Civil Supplies), Tadepalligudem, West Godavari District, to dispose of the seized stock by sale in the public auction. Aggrieved by the same, the petitioner filed W.P.No.10208 of 2011 and this Court by order dated 15.4.2011 disposed of the said writ petition directing the District Collector (CS), West Godavari, to consider the petition dated 29.3.2011 filed by the petitioner seeking release of the stock within a period of three weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of the said order and till orders are passed on the said petition, not to sell the seized stock of the petitioner. 4. It is stated that inspite of the orders of this Court, the 1st respondent has not passed any order till date. In the meanwhile, the 3rd respondent passed the impugned order dated 5.5.2011, suspending the foodgrains licence of the petitioner pending enquiry. Aggrieved by the said order, the petitioner preferred an appeal on 6.5.2011 before the 2nd respondent along with an application for stay. It is the grievance of the petitioner that even though more than one month has elapsed, the 2nd respondent has neither considered the appeal nor passed any orders on the stay application. Hence the present writ petition. 5. Needless to say that in matters of this nature, which require expeditious attention, the Statutory authorities are expected to pass orders within a reasonable time frame. 6. In the circumstances, I deem appropriate to dispose of the writ petition directing the 2nd respondent to dispose of the appeal itself preferred against the order of the 3rd respondent in Roc.No.CSII/100/2011, dated 5.5.2011, as early as possible, preferably within a period of two weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. If, for any reason, the appeal is not disposed of within the stipulated time, the order dated 5.5.2011 of the 3rd respondent shall stand suspended till the disposal of the appeal. 7. Accordingly, the writ petition is disposed of. No order as to costs. ________________________ JUSTICE NOUSHAD ALI 08.06.2011. NOTE:- Issue C.C. by tomorrow. (B/O) Msr THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NOUSHAD ALI WRIT PETITION No.14004 of 2011 08.06.2011 (Msr)