State Act
The Assam Jute (Control of Prices) Act, 1950
This Act was repealed on a date we do not have by The Assam Jute (Control of Prices) (Repealing) Act, 2023 (named as the Act repealing it in the Assam Legislative Department's list of repealed Acts, alphabetical_repealed_act_final.pdf; the list gives no date); it may still apply to matters that began before then.
1. Short title, extent and commencement.—(1) This Act may be called the Assam Jute (Control of Prices) Act, 1950. (2) It extends to the whole of Assam. (3) It shall come into force at once.
2. Definitions.—In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,— (a) “jute” means the fibre of any plant belonging to any species of the genus Corchorus and commonly called pat, kosta natia ; (b) “pucca bale” means a package containing any jute or jute cuttings (together with any waste product or moisture, if any) pressed by any hydraulic or any power-driven machinery and commonly known in the jute trade as a pucca bale ; (c) “raw jute” means jute which has not been subjected to any process of spinning or weaving and includes jute or jute cuttings, whether loose or packed in bales or drums and whether or not containing any waste product or moisture ; (d) “surplus raw jute” means raw jute in the possession or control of any person in excess of the quantity for which he holds for the time being a valid export license under the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, 1947 (Act XVIII of 1947) ; (e) “waste product” means strippings, odd filaments or fragments, droppings, sweepings, or other waste product of jute and includes also articles commonly known in the jute trade as hiji biji.
3. Maximum prices.—(1) The State Government may by notification in the Official Gazette fix the maximum prices which may be charged for pucca bales or for surplus raw jute (not being pucca bales). (2) Different maximum prices may be fixed under sub-section (1) for pucca bales or surplus raw jute (not being pucca bales), according to the quality, variety or trade description of the jute or jute cuttings contained in such pucca bales or according to the quality, variety or trade description of such surplus raw jute.
4. Sale and purchase to be at prices not exceeding maximum.—No person shall sell or agree to sell or offer to sell and no person shall buy or agree to buy or offer to buy any pucca bales or any surplus raw jute (not being pucca bales) or any portion of any surplus raw jute at a price exceeding the maximum price fixed therefor under section 3.
5. Power of State Government to issue directions in respect of surplus raw jute.—The State Government may by order in writing direct any person having any surplus raw jute in his possession or control to sell such surplus raw jute or any portion thereof to any specified person or persons at a price not exceeding the maximum price fixed therefor under section 3 and the person so directed shall comply with the order.
6. Power to require information, etc.—The State Government or any officer authorised in this behalf by the State Government may, with a view to securing compliance with this Act,— (a) require any person to give any information in his possession with respect to any business in jute carried on by that or any other person; (b) inspect or cause to be inspected any books or other documents belonging to or under the control of any person relating to any business in jute : (c) enter and search, or authorise any person to enter and search, any premises, and seize, or authorise any person to seize, any pucca bales or surplus raw jute in respect of which he has reason to believe that a contravention of this Act has been committed.
7. Evasion.—No person shall, with intent to evade any provision of this Act, refuse to give any information lawfully demanded from him under section 6, or conceal, destroy, mutilate or deface any book or document.
8. Penalties.—Whoever contravenes any of the provisions of this Act or of any order made thereunder shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine or with both.
9. Offences by corporations, etc.—Where a person committing an offence punishable under this Act is a company or an association or a body of persons whether incorporated or not, every Director, Manager, Secretary or other Officer or person concerned in the management thereof shall, unless he proves that the offence was committed without his knowledge or that he exercised all due diligence to prevent its commission, be deemed to be guilty of such offence.
10. Repeal and Savings.—(1) The Assam Jute (Control of Prices) Ordinance, 1950 (Assam Ordinance No.1 of 1950), is hereby repealed. (2) Notwithstanding such repeal anything done or any action taken in the exercise of any power conferred by or under the said Ordinance shall be deemed to have been done or taken in the exercise of the powers confered by or under this Act, as if this Act were in force on the day on which such thing was done or action taken.