The Essential Commodities Act, 1955

This 2024 edition of The Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (Act 10 of 1955) reproduces the statute verbatim, fully incorporating the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 (22 of 2020, w.e.f. 5-6-2020) which deregulates cereals, pulses, onions & oils—subject to extraordinary-price-rise triggers.

Bound in for complete context:

Essential Commodities (Special Provisions) Act, 1981

Prevention of Blackmarketing & Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act, 1980 (as extended to J-&-K, 2019)

Colliery Control Order, 2000 & Colliery Control Rules, 2004

Concise short comments explain stock-limit orders, agri-trade 2020 exemptions, and preventive-detention overlap.

Core statutory coverage

• Declaration of essential commodity — notification power, scheduled fertilisers, LPG and petroleum products.

• Stock limits & price control — extraordinary-price-rise formula (100 % / 50 % retail inflation triggers).

• Search, seizure & confiscation — Collector adjudication, speedy disposal and food-security exemptions.

• Detention & prosecution — 1980 Blackmarketing Act preventive-detention powers; cognisability & bailability matrix.

• Coal supply & grading — Colliery orders on linkage, washery and e-auction corridors.

This edition is particularly suited for

• Agri-traders, warehousing companies & FMCG supply-chain heads.

• District Collectors & food-supply inspectors invoking stock-limit orders.

• Energy & coal-linkage counsel, commodity-law practitioners.

• AIBE candidates and students in food-security & market-regulation law.