Karan Kumar Kaushal v. The Bihar State

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.8114 of 2019 ====================================================== Karan Kumar Kaushal, aged about 27 years, male, Son of Vinay Kumar Lal, Resident of Ward No.9, Arai, Aurangabad, District-Aurangabad, Proprietor, Jarsoiya Plastic Factory, Arai, Town and Distirct-Aurangabad. ... ... Petitioner/s

Versus

1.

The Bihar State Power (Holding) Company Limited, Vidyut Bhawan, Bailey Road, Patna, through its Chairman-Cum-Managing Director. 2.

The South Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited, Vidyut Bhawan, Bailey Road, Patna, through its Managing Director. 3.

The General Manager (Revenue), South Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited, Vidyut Bhawan, Bailey Road, Patna.

4.

The Electrical Executive Engineer, Electric Supply Division, Aurangabad. 5.

The Assistant Electrical Engineer, Electric Supply Division, Aurangabad. ... ... Respondent/s ====================================================== Appearance :

For the Petitioner/s :

Mr. Suraj Samdarshi, Adv.

For the Respondent/s :

Mr. Kamal Tiwary, Adv.

====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ASHUTOSH KUMAR ORAL JUDGMENT Date : 23-05-2019 The petitioner has preferred the present petition for a direction to the respondent authorities to restore the electric supply of the petitioner pending his request for revision of his bill. The further prayer in the writ petition is

Patna High Court CWJC No.8114 of 2019 dt.23-05-2019 2/3 for a direction to revise the energy bill of the petitioner as per his actual consumption, which would in turn require verification of the correctness of the electric meter.

2. Mr. Kamal Tiwary, learned Advocate for the respondent/South Bihar Power Distribution Company Ltd. has submitted that if at all the petitioner is aggrieved by the action/inaction of the Company, he has the forum of ventilating his grievance before the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum. The forum has already been established with ombudsman as its Chairman, who is under an obligation to dispose of the objections/grievances of the petitioner. With respect to the prayer made in the writ petition for supply of the electricity connection, Mr. Tiwary has intimated to this Court that at the request of the petitioner/consumer, installments were fixed for making payment of the bill amount, but that undertaking of the petitioner was never fulfilled. No payment was made even of the later bills which was raised against the petitioner. In that event, the Company was left with no alternative but to disconnect the supply line.

Patna High Court CWJC No.8114 of 2019 dt.23-05-2019 3/3

3. In any view of the matter, it would be open for petitioner to approach the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum for the needful. It is expected that an order shall be passed by the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum as early as possible, preferably within a period of six weeks of the receipt of such application by the petitioner.

4. In case, the petitioner makes payment of the outstanding bills, electric supply would be resumed by the Company in accordance with the provisions prescribed under the Electricity Act as well as the Supply Code of 2007.

5. With the aforesaid observation/direction, the writ petition stands disposed off.

(Ashutosh Kumar, J) Praveen-II/- AFR/NAFR NAFR CAV DATE N/A Uploading Date 27.05.2019 Transmission Date N/A