CHENNAKESAV REDDY, J.

( 1 ) THIS revision petition raises a question of law of considerable importance; viz. , whether section 6-A of the Essential Commodities act, 1955 (10 of 1955), hereinafter referred to as "the Act", excludes the jurisdiction of the Criminal Court under Sections 516-A and 523 of the Criminal Procedure Code to make an order for the disposal of essential commodity seized and produced before it for contravention of an order made under Section 3 of the Act. For a proper appreciation of the question arising in the case, it is necessary to set out the essential facts.

( 2 ) THE petitioner is a retail dealer in foodgrains carrying on business at i uni Village in East Godavari District under licence granted to him by the competent authority. On 13-3-1973 he was transporting 94 bags of rice, each bag weighing 96 Kgs in a lorry bearing registration no. A P. A 1411 to Tuni. On the way the lorry was intercepted by the Circle Inspector of Police Ramachandrapuram, at Ramavaram junction and the rice bags were seized by him as they were being transported without a permit or licence, in contravention of the Andhra pradesh Rice and Paddy (Restriction on Movement) Order, 1970. Th

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