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HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT HYDERABAD

THE HON’BLE SHRI JUSTICE ANIL KUMAR JUKANTI WRIT PETITION No.9705 OF 2026

DATE OF ORDER : 01.04.2026

Between:

Srinivasa Traders, rep., by its Proprietor, Alampally Sridhar, S/o. Alampally

Vishwanatham, Age 43 years, Premises Flat No.3-78/E/80, First Floor, Vikarabad Road,

Chevella, Ranga Reddy District .. Petitioner

And The State of Telangana, rep., by its

Principal Secretary to the Consumer Affairs, Food and Civil Supplies, Secretariat Buildings,

Hyderabad and three others .. Respondents

ORDER:

This writ petition is filed with the following prayer:

“… to issue an order or direction more particularly one in the nature of writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ declaring the seizure of the stock of rice of the petitioner through F.I.R.No.72 of 2026, of P.S. Toopran, Medak District, dated 05.03.2026, and not releasing the said stock of rice in favour of the petitioner, even though the petitioner had not committed any irregularities or illegalities, is nothing but arbitrary, illegal, null and void and violative of principles of natural justice and also violative of Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India. Consequently, direct the respondents to release the stock of rice in favour of the petitioner seized in

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F.I.R.No.72 of 2026, of P.S. Toopran, Medak District, dated 05.03.2026, and to pass such other order or orders as this Hon’ble Court may deem fit and proper

in the interest of justice.”

2. Heard Mr. K. Venumadhav, learned counsel for petitioners, Mr. N.S. Arjun Kumar, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Civil Supplies for respondent Nos.1, 2 and 4, and learned Assistant Government Pleader

for Home for respondent No.3.

3. Case of petitioner is that on 05.03.2026 while transporting rice in 770 plastic bags (quantity of 368.5 qtls.,) in vehicle bearing No.TS 08 UF 1149, Inspector (C.S.) Medak District - respondent No.4 seized the vehicle on the allegation that the rice being transported was meant for Public Distribution System (PDS). On a complaint from respondent No.4, the Station House Officer, Toopran Police Station, respondent No.3 registered

F.I.R.No.72 of 2026, dated 05.03.2026.

4. Learned counsel for petitioner submitted that the rice is a common variety and it is not PDS rice. It is further submitted that respondent Nos.3 and 4, without

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taking into consideration the factual aspect that the rice was a common variety and not PDS rice, by abusing the powers vested, seized the vehicle along with rice (368.5 qtls). It is also submitted that the rice is a schedule commodity and not an essential commodity and seizing the same under Section 6-A of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (for short ‘the Act, 1955’) amounts to an illegal act. Copy of F.I.R.No.72 of 2026, dated 05.03.2026 (Ex.P1) is at Page No.15, complaint dated 05.03.2026 is at Page Nos.19 and 20, and bill of supply is at Page No.26

and e-way bill is at page No.27 of the writ papers.

5. Learned counsel for petitioner placed reliance on the order passed by a learned Single Judge in W.P.No.7254 of 2026, dated 10.03.2026. Learned counsel invited the attention of this Court to paragraph No.8 of the learned Single Judge’s order and submitted that similar orders be

passed in this writ petition too.

6. On the other hand, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Civil Supplies placed on record a

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communication received from the office of District Civil Supplies, Medak District, dated 31.03.2026. Drawing attention of this Court to unnumbered paragraph at Page No.4 of the communication submitted that appropriate proceedings have been initiated under Section 6-A of the Act, 1955 and a show cause notice is issued to petitioner on 16.02.2026 and the date of hearing before the office of District Collector was scheduled on 28.02.2026. It is further submitted that the District Collector was transferred and scheduled hearing is to be re-fixed by

issuing another show cause notice.

7. Heard lea