Judgment

WANCHOO, J.-These ten appeals on certificates granted by the Andhra Pradesh High Court raise common questions and will be dealt with together. The brief facts necessary for present purposes are these. On June 6, 1957, a notification was issued by the Central Government under s. 3(3A) of the Essential Commodities Act, No. 10 of 1955, (hereinafter referred to as the Act). The notification said that in the opinion of the Central Government it was necessary to control the rise in prices, and prevent the hoarding of rice and paddy in the States and Union territories. Consequently the Central Government directed by the notification that the price at which rice or paddy shall be sold in any locality in the said States and Union territories in compliance with an order made with reference to cl. (f) of sub-s. (2) of the said s. 3 shall be regulated in accordance with the provisions of sub-s. (3A). This order applied amongst other States to the State of Andhra Pradesh and was to be in force for a period of three months. On July 31, 1957, the Central Government made another notification directing that the powers conferred on it by s. 3 of the Act to make orders providing for the matte