The Delhi Agricultural Produces Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1976 was enacted on September 2, 1976 to give advanced control on the buying, selling, storage and development of agricultural products as well as the constitution of markets to sell the products on agriculture in the Delhi Union Territory. The Act states that the Administrator is given the authority to announce his motive to control the purchase and sale of agricultural products in some of the areas declared under the notification. Such notification shall be made known to the public through newspaper which is published in the language of the region. The main content of the notification shall be calling objection and proposals from the public that is to be given to the Administrator within the term prescribed under the notification. When the date specified in the notification expires and after looking into the objections and proposals of the public and also after conducting enquiry in the prescribed mode, the Administrator may announce some of the areas in Delhi to be the market place where the sale and purchase of agricultural products are controlled as per the terms of this enactment. The declaration which is made shall also be made known to the public through newspapers in the same manner as mentioned above.
The Act further states that the administrator is empowered to constitute Delhi Agricultural Marketing Board. The Board shall include Chairman who is chosen by the Administrator and 12 other members out of which four members are officials and the other eight members will be non-officials. The Director of the Board and three members shall be from Animal Husbandry Department, Agriculture Department and Co-operative Department. The non-officials members shall be chosen from agriculturists who shall be the members under the Market committees, one member shall be from different organisations constituted for farmers and other members shall be from the respective fields provided under the enactment. The ex officio Secretary appointed under the Board shall be the Director. The Board shall have the status of a company with continuous succession with the authority to purchase and sell off property and to enter into lawful agreements. It shall also have the power to litigate.
For the purposes of the Act, a principal market shall be constituted for all the market places and to promote the agricultural products, subsidiary markets shall also be created. Due to the special feature of the goods like fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, wool etc, the administrator shall create special markets for promoting those goods in addition to independent market committee. Market committee shall also be constituted by the Administrator in all the market places. The market committee shall consist of 14 members out of which six members shall be chosen by the agriculturists near to the market place, two members shall be from among the traders who possess license to function in the market place. The Act imposes some duties on the Market Committee. The Committee shall enforce the provisions of the legislation, rules and bye-laws that are formulated for the market place, to give facilities to promote the agricultural products, to supervise, direct and regulate markets etc and such other functions as specifically stated under the enactment. In addition, the Market Committee shall have the power to create collection centres to promote some prescribed commodities. The amount which is not paid to the Committee shall be added with the fees to be imposed and collector from the person selling the goods. The Market Committee is competent to impose and collect fees which are fixed by the Administrator. The Committee shall also advance loans with the prior permission of the Board by giving security in the form of assets. Special Chapter in the Act is provided for the marketing and promotion of agricultural products. Any person aggrieved by the order of the Committee with regard to issuing of license shall prefer an appeal before the Board. Moreover, arbitrators can also be appointed to settle the disputes amicably. The Marketing Development Fund shall also be created to credit the amounts collected by the Board. Trade grants are prohibited under the Act.
The present Act repealed the enforcement of Bombay Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1939 in Delhi Union Territory.