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Section 12A: Power to try summarily
(1) If the Central Government is of opinion that a situation has arisen where, in the interests of production, supply or distribution of any essential commodity not being an essential commodity referred to in clause (a) of sub-section (2) or trade or commerce therein and other relevant considerations, it is necessary that the contravention of any order made under section 3 in relation to such essential commodity should be tried summarily, the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette specify such order to be a special order for purposes of summary trial under this section, and every such notification shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is issued, before both Houses of Parliament: Provided that— (a) every such notification issued after the commencement of the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 1971, shall, unless sooner rescinded, cease to operate at the expiration of two years after the publication of such notification in the Official Gazette; (b) every such notification in force immediately before such commencement shall, unless sooner rescinded, cease to operate at the expiration of two years after such commencement: Provided further that nothing in the foregoing proviso shall affect any case relating to the contravention of a special order specified in any such notification if proceedings by way of summary trial have commenced before that notification is rescinded or ceases to operate and the provisions of this section shall continue to apply to that case as if that notification had not been rescinded or had not ceased to operate. (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974) all offences relating to— (a) the contravention of an order made under section 3 with respect to— (ii) foodstuffs, including edible oilseeds and oil; or (iii) drugs; and (b) where any notification issued under sub-section (1) in relation to a special order is in force, the contravention of such special order, shall be tried in a summary way by a Judicial Magistrate of the first class specially empowered in this behalf by the State Government or by a Metropolitan Magistrate and the provisions of sections 262 to 265 (both inclusive) of the said Code shall, as far as may be, apply to such trial: Provided that, in the case of any conviction in a summary trial under this section, it shall be lawful for the Magistrate to pass a sentence of imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year:
Source: official text of The Essential Commodities Act, 1955 as published on India Code. All sections of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.