M/S.Sri Selvabathi Mills Pvt Ltd v. Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED : 07.03.2025 CORAM :
THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE D.BHARATHA CHAKRAVARTHY and W.M.P.Nos.9025, 9026 and 9027 of 2025 In W.P.No.8068 of 2025:- M/s.Sri Selvabathi Mills Pvt Ltd., 2/4, Near Sellandiamman Temple, Avinashi Road, Thekkalur - 641 654, Coimbatore.
repd. by its Authorized Signatory Shanmugasundram .. Petitioner
Versus
1. Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission repd. by its Secretary, 19-A, Rukmini Lakshmipathy Salai, (Marshall's Road), Egmore, Chennai - 600 008.
2. The Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd., (TNPDCL), 144, Anna Salai, 1/13
Chennai - 600 002.
Represented by its Managing Director
3. Director Finance, (TNPDCL), 144, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600 002.
4. The Superintending Engineer, (TNPDCL), Coimbatore South Electricity Distribution Circle, Coimbatore.
5. The Superintending Engineer, (TNPDCL), Tirunelveli Electricity Distribution Circle, Tirunelveli.
.. Respondents In W.P.No.8070 of 2025:- M/s.Subabhalaji Spinning Mills India Pvt. Ltd., SF No.140, Anjanoor (Po), EllapalayamNaal Road, Onankuttai, Nambiyur, Gobichettipalayam, Rep. by its Authorised Signatory T.Gunasekar .. Petitioner
Versus
1. Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission repd. by its Secretary, 19-A, Rukmini Lakshmipathy Salai, (Marshall's Road), 2/13
Egmore, Chennai - 600 008.
2. The Chairman, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited, 144, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600 002.
3. Director Finance, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited, 144, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600 002.
4. The Superintending Engineer, TANGEDCO, Gobi Electricity Distribution Circle, Gobi.
5. The Superintending Engineer, TANGEDCO, Tirunelveli Electricity Distribution Circle, Tirunelveli.
.. Respondents In W.P.No.8071 of 2025:- M/s.LAX BLUE METAL P LTD., 262/1, Kottaikarai, Ramanathichanpurthoor, Kanyakumari District, repd. by its Authorized Signatory, Louis Antr Balan Savarimuthu .. Petitioner
Versus
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1. Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission repd. by its Secretary, 19-A, Rukmini Lakshmipathy Salai, (Marshall's Road), Egmore, Chennai - 600 008.
2. The Chairman, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited, 144, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600 002.
3. Director Finance, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited, 144, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600 002.
4. The Superintending Engineer, TANGEDCO, Kanyakumari Electricity Distribution Circle, Kanyakumari.
5. The Superintending Engineer, TANGEDCO, Tirunelveli Electricity Distribution Circle, Tirunelveli.
.. Respondents Prayer in W.P.No.8068 of 2025 : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, pleased to issue a Writ of Mandamus forbearing the respondents and their men, agents from collecting current consumption charges, demand charges and any arrears from the petitioner until the 4/13
respondents make payment of the outstanding dues of Rs.20,79,322/- (for the year of 2023-2024) payable to the petitioner or give adjustment in the current consumption charges payable by the petitioner till the entire amount is adjusted.
Prayer in W.P.No.8070 of 2025 : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, pleased to issue a Writ of Mandamus forbearing the respondents and their men, agents from collecting current consumption charges, demand charges and any arrears from the petitioner until the respondents make payment of the outstanding dues of Rs.13,52,433/- (for the period from June, 2023 to July, 2023) payable to the petitioner or give adjustment in the current consumption charges payable by the petitioner till the entire amount is adjusted.
Prayer in W.P.No.8071 of 2025 : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, pleased to issue a Writ of Mandamus forbearing the respondents and their men, agents from collecting current consumption charges, demand charges and any arrears from the petitioner HTSC No.079094740130 until the respondents make payment of the outstanding dues of Rs.6,54,154/- (from 2022 to 2024) payable to the petitioner or give adjustment in the current consumption charges payable by the petitioner till 5/13
the entire amount is adjusted.
For Petitioner : Mr.S.P.Parthasarthy (in all W.Ps) For Respondents : Mr.L.Jai Venkatesh (in W.P.No.8068 of 2025) : Mr.Syed Sibgatullah (in W.P.No.8070 of 2025) : Mr.S.Madhusudanan (in W.P.No.8071 of 2025) COMMON ORDER These Writ Petitions are filed for a Writ of Mandamus forbearing the respondents, their men and agents from collecting the consumption charges, demand charges and any arrears from the petitioners until the payment of the outstanding dues of Rs.20,79,322/-, Rs.13,52,433/- and Rs.6,54,154/- respectively payable to the petitioners or give an adjustment in the current consumption and other charges of the petitioner. 6/13
2. When the matters are taken up for hearing, both sides learned Counsel are at idem that the matters are no longer res integra and that orders were passed in similar Writ Petitions and one such order was passed in W.P.No.5623 of 2025 on 18.02.2025. Paragraph Nos.2 and 3 of the said order are extracted hereunder:- "
2. When the matter came up for admission, the learned counsel for both sides would submit that the matter is no longer res integra and in several matters, this Court has passed earlier orders. It can be seen that in one such order in W.P.No.38309 of 2024, the writ petition is disposed of on the following terms and the entire order from paragraph No. 2 to 8 is extracted hereunder:- "2. The petitioner herein seeks issue of Writ of Mandamus, forbearing the respondents from collecting current consumption charges, demand charges and any arrears from the petitioner until the respondents make payment of outstanding dues of Rs.35,41,322/- payable to the petitioner or give adjustment in the current consumption charges payable by the petitioner till the entire amount is adjusted.
3. It is the case of the petitioner that it involves in the manufacture of yarn Products having High Tension Electricity Supply and the petitioner had erected Wind Energy Generators, which generates power and the petitioner utilised the portion of the electric energy generated by it and surplus was supplied to the respondents.
4. As per the details furnished by the 4th respondent, the petitioner supplied energy to the respondents for value of Rs.35,41,322/- upto March-2024. The petitioner raised invoice for encashment of the above 7/13
said amount based on the applicable tariff and the same has not been honoured by the respondents. Therefore, the petitioner has come before this Court with a prayer seeking adjustment of the amount due to the petitioner from TANGEDCO/respondents 2 to 5. The petitioner submitted a representation on 26.04.2024 enclosing statement downloaded from the website of the TANGEDCO. Therefore, there is no dispute with regard to the quantum payable by TANGEDCO to the petitioner towards electricity supplied by it.
5. Heard the argument of learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and Mr.Syed Sibuthullah, learned Standing Counsel (TNEB), who is taking notice for the respondents.
6. This Court in similar cases in W.P.No.31140 of 2024, dated 19.10.2024 batch cases, passed the following orders:- "3. The learned Single Judge of this Court, vide order dated 28.10.2021 made in W.P.Nos.6776 of 2020 etc., batch in the case of M/s.Rajaguru Spinning Mills P. Ltd., Vs. The Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission, in identical circumstances which was also relied upon by the learned counsel for the petitioner held as under:- "11. In view of the above, all these Writ Petitions are Disposed of with the following directions:- (a) In all those cases where the TANGEDCO has acted upon the interim orders passed by this Court and the entire outstanding amounts due and payable has been adjusted, those writ petitions will be rendered infructuous since the grievance of those petitioners 8/13
stands redressed;
(b) In those cases where the TANGEDCO is in the process of adjusting the outstanding amount due, such adjustment shall be continued till the entire outstanding amount is adjusted towards the current consumption charges / open access charges payable by the respective petitioners and (c) The TANGEDCO shall not take any coercive steps to disconnect the electricity connection to the petitioners until the outstanding amounts due and payable is completely adjusted towards the current consumption charges/open access charges payable by the petitioners."
4. In view of the above fact that the earlier Writ petitions involving similar issue being disposed of by this Court in the aforesaid terms, the present Writ Petitions also stand disposed of in terms of the above said order of this Court dated 28.10.2021 made in W.P.Nos.6776 of 2020 etc., batch. No costs.
Consequently, connected M.Ps are closed."
7. Therefore, this Court is also inclined to pass similar order by directing the respondents 2 to 5 to adjust the amount of Rs.35,41,322/- payable by the respondents to the petitioner towards the electricity supplied to them by the petitioner, with the current consumption charges, demand charges payable by the petitioner, till the entire amount is adjusted or exhausted. The respondents shall not take any coercive steps against the petitioner for disconnection of power supply till entire outstanding 9/13
amount payable to the petitioner by respondents gets adjusted towards current consumption charges, demand charges etc., payable by the petitioner.
8. With this direction, the Writ Petition stands disposed of. No costs. Consequently, the connected writ miscellaneous petition closed."
3. Accordingly, this writ petition shall stands disposed of on the same terms. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed. No costs."
3. In view there of, these Writ Petitions are also disposed of on the same terms. There shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petitions are closed.
07.03.2025 : no grs To
1. The Secretary, Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission, 19-A, Rukmini Lakshmipathy Salai, (Marshall's Road), Egmore, Chennai - 600 008.
2. The Managing Director, The Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd., (TNPDCL), 144, Anna Salai, 10/13
Chennai - 600 002.
3. The Director Finance, (TNPDCL), 144, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600 002.
4. The Superintending Engineer, (TNPDCL), Coimbatore South Electricity Distribution Circle, Coimbatore.
5. The Superintending Engineer, (TNPDCL), Tirunelveli Electricity Distribution Circle, Tirunelveli.
6. The Superintending Engineer, TANGEDCO, Gobi Electricity Distribution Circle, Gobi.
7. The Superintending Engineer, TANGEDCO, Kanyakumari Electricity Distribution Circle, Kanyakumari.
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D.BHARATHA CHAKRAVARTHY, J.
grs and W.M.P.Nos.9025, 9026 and 9027 of 2025 12/13
07.03.2025 13/13