Judgment

GROVER: J.: The points involved in the writ petition and the appeals by special leave relate to the constitutionality and validity of the provisions of three Control Orders issued under S. 3 (2) (d) of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (Act 10 of 1955), hereinafter called the "Act". The validity of S. 3 (2) (d) of the Act itself has also been assailed.

2. The Control Orders which were promulgated under S. 3 (2) (d) of the Act were the following:

(i) The Rice (Southern Zone) Movement Control Order, 1957

(ii) The Southern States (Regulation of Exports of Rice) Order, 1964; and

(iii) The Andhra Pradesh Rice and Paddy (Restriction of Movement) Order, 1965.

In the appeals the appellants had moved the High Court of Andhra Pradesh under Art. 226 of the Constitution. There the petitioners were dealers in rice and rice products such as puffed, parched and beaten rice (beaten rice is known as powa while, parched and puffed rice is known as Murmura ). Some of the petitioners had applied for permits to export powa, murmura and idlirava from the State of Andhra Pradesh to other States while others had applied for permits to transport one or other of the rice products to some places with