Judgment

CHINNAPPA REDDY, J. :- These writ petitions under Art. 32 of the Constitution and petitions for special leave to appeal under Art. 136 of the Constitution may be disposed of by a common order since they raise the same questions. In exercise of the powers conferred by S. 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and delegated to it by the Government of India by its Order No. GSR 1088 dated Nov. 15, 1958, Ministry of Food and Agriculture (Department of Food), the Government of Madhya Pradesh made the Madhya Pradesh Foodstuffs (Distribution Control) Order, 1960. The undoubted object of the order was to provide for better distribution of foodstuffs to such class of consumers as required a regular supply of such foodstuffs. Detailed provision was made for the issue of family cards, the registration of the holders of such family cards with "appointed retailers" the appointment of "appointed retailers", the supply of foodstuffs to "appointed retailers" by the Government, the sale of foodstuffs by appointed retailers to consumers etc. "Family card" was defined as meaning "a card or document issued to the head of a family under or in pursuance of the provisions of this order". "Appoi