IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) WEDNESDAY, THE SECOND DAY OF DECEMBER TWO THOUSAND AND NINE PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE GOPALA KRISHNA TAMADA WRIT PETITION NO : 26294 of 2009 Between: Ambati Gurumurthy ..... PETITIONER AND The State of Andhra Pradesh, rep. by the Commissioner, Civil Supplies, Hyderabad and others. .....RESPONDENT(S) HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE GOPALA KRISHNA TAMADA W.P.No.26294 of 2009 ORDER: The petitioner is carrying on wholesale and retail business of selling edible oil and edible seeds and he has obtained all the valid licences. However, the 3rd respondent-Civil Supplies Officer, Eluru, along with the staff inspected his business premises on 03-11-2009, and at that point of time, the petitioner was absent on account of his mother’s ill-health and the son-in-law of the petitioner, who was looking after the business, could not produce the records. As the 3rd respondent found certain variations in the stock position, seized the palmolive oil, sunflower oil, ground-nut oil and ground-nut seeds, worth Rs.1,97,000/-. Thereafter, the matter was referred to the 2nd respondent-Joint Collector, Eluru, who in- turn, initiated proceedings under Section 6-A of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (for brevity ‘the Act’) and thereafter, a notice under Section 6-B of the Act was also issued to the petitioner. The petitioner offered his explanation and requested the 2nd respondent to release the seized stocks. But, however, the 2nd respondent refused to release the stocks and ordered for its sale. 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. Having considered the submissions made by the learned counsel for both the parties, particularly, in view of the enquiry under Section 6-A of the Act is in progress, this Court is of the view that the writ petition can be disposed of with a direction to the 2nd respondent. 4. Accordingly, the writ petition is disposed of directing the 2nd respondent-Joint Collector (CS), Eluru, West Godavari District, to complete the enquiry under Section 6-A of the Essential Commodities Act, at the earliest, preferably, within a period of eight weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. The 2nd respondent is also directed to release the seized stocks, forthwith, however, on a condition of the petitioner furnishing a bank guarantee in a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees one lakh only). There shall be no order as to costs. ______________________ 2nd December 2009 Note: Issue C.C. tomorrow. B/o. KVR