Punjab Essential Articles (Control) Act, 1973

From: 1973-10-16 - To: 0000-00-00 An Act to provide for regulation of supply, distribution, prices and trade and commerce in respect of certain essential articles Preamble.— WHEREAS it is expedient in the public interest to provide for powers to regulate and control the production, acquisition, prices, keeping, storage, movement, transport, supply, distribution, disposal, use or consumption of, and trade and commerce in, certain essential articles in the Province of the Punjab; It is hereby enacted as follows:- 1. Short title, extent and commencement.— (1) This Act may be called the Punjab Essential Articles (Control) Act, 1973. (2) It extends to the whole of the Province of the Punjab. (3) [2][* * * * * * * * * * * *] (4) It shall come into force at once. 2. Definitions.— In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, the following expressions shall have the meanings hereby respectively assigned to them, that is to say:- (a) “Controller” means the Controller of Prices and Supplies appointed by the Government and includes a Deputy or Assistant Controller of Prices and Supplies so appointed, and any other officer authorised by the Government to exercise all or any of the powers of the Controller under this Act; (b) “Government” means the Government of the Punjab; (c) “essential articles” means any of the classes of articles mentioned in the Schedule to this Act; and (d) “notified order” means an order made under section 3 of this Act and notified in the official Gazette. 3. Power to control production, supply, distribution, etc. of essential articles.— (1) Government, so far as it appears to it to be necessary or expedient for maintaining or increasing supplies of any essential article, or for securing its equitable distribution and availability, or for controlling and fixing the prices of an essential article may, by notified order, provide for regulating or prohibiting the production, acquisition, treatment, keeping, storage, movement, transport, supply, distribution, availability at fair price, disposal, use or consumption thereof, and trade and commerce therein. (2) Without prejudice to the generality of the powers conferred by sub-section (1), an order…