An order made by the Government under Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 fixing the price of, or regulating the supply of, an essential commodity is:

A 'control order' under Section 3 is DELEGATED (or subordinate) legislation made in exercise of the statutory power to regulate essential commodities. It is valid provided it is within the confines of the parent Act, applied reasonably, and does not infringe fundamental rights or other constitutional limits (including the free-trade guarantee under Article 301). The courts uphold such orders subject to these checks, refusing to interfere with pace of legislative policy. Fixing price or stock limits by control order is thus a lawful exercise of delegated power. Its legality turns on the scope of the delegation and reasonableness.