High Court of KeralaWP(C)/18337/2015disposed of

Ayyappan Balakrishnan v. Kseb

2015-06-18Honourable Mr.Justice V.Chitambaresh4 pages

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM

PRESENT:

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE V.CHITAMBARESH THURSDAY, THE 18TH DAY OF JUNE 2015/28TH JYAISHTA, 1937 WP(C).No. 18337 of 2015 (N) ---------------------------- PETITIONER(S):

-------------------------- 1.

AYYAPPAN BALAKRISHNAN, KAITHAVALAPPIL HOUSE, MANJUMMANL P.O., UDYOGAMANDAL, ERNAKULAM

2. ANIL KUMAR, KAITHAVALAPPIL HOUSE, MANJUMMANL P.O., UDYOGAMANDAL, ERNAKULAM BY ADV. SRI.G.SREEKUMAR (CHELUR) RESPONDENT(S):

---------------------------- 1.

THE KERALA STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD LTD, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, VAIDHYTHI BHAVAN, PATTOM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM 695 001

2. ASSISTANT ENGINEER, OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT ENGINEER, ELECTRICAL SECTION, KERALA STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD, ELOOR, ERNAKULAM 682 012

3. TONY THOMAS, S/O THOMAS, AGED 36 YEARS, KANAPPALLY HOUSE, PALARA, MUPPATHADAM P.O., KADUNKALLOOR VILLAGE, NORTH PARAVUR TALUK, ERNAKULAM PIN 682 011 BY SRI.SAJEEVKUMAR K.GOPAL,SC,KSEB SRI.JAICE JACOB, SC, KSEB THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 18-06-2015, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: VS

WP(C).No. 18337 of 2015 (N) --------------------------------------- APPENDIX PETITIONER(S)' EXHIBITS :

---------------------------------------- EXT.P1 :

COPY OF THE SALE DEED DATED 6.9.2003 EXT.P2 :

TRUE COPY OF THE RENT AGREEMENT DATED 25.4.2013 BETWEEN THE 2ND PETITIONER AND THE 3RD RESPONDENT. EXT.P3 :

TRUE COPY OF THE LETTER DATED 2.12.2013 INTIMATING OF PROCEEDINGS ALONG WITH THE PROVISIONAL BILL DATED 2.12.2013 EXT.P4 :

TRUE FINAL BILL DATED 19.12.2013 ISSUED BY THE 2ND RESPONDENT.

EXT.P5 :

TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER DATED 21.2.2014 PASSED BY THE 2ND RESPONDENT.

EXT.P6 :

TRUE COPY OF THE SITE MAHASSAR PREPARED BY THE SUB ENGINEER, KSEB, ELOOR DIVISION WHO CONDUCTED THE INSPECTION DATED 30.11.2013.

EXT.P7 :

COPY OF THE FINAL REPORT IN CC 1314/14 DATED 19.12.2013 ON THE FILE OF JFMC, N.PARAVUR.

RESPONDENT(S)' EXHIBITS :

NIL ------------------------------------------- /TRUE COPY/ PA TO JUDGE VS

V.CHITAMBARESH, J ----------------------------------------------- W.P.(C).No.18337 of 2015 ----------------------------------------------- Dated this the 18th day of June, 2015

JUDGMENT

Ext.P5 order imposing penalty in terms of Section 126 of the Electricity Act, 2003 is impugned. The petitioners contend that only the third respondent tenant could be multed with the liability for misuse of electrical energy. The Electricity Board on the other hand maintains that the first petitioner being the registered consumer can as well be proceeded against.

2. The terms of the lease arrangement between the petitioners and the third respondent is a matter for deeper probe. Whether the liability could be shifted to the third respondent exclusively is a matter for evidence. All these can be thrashed out in an appeal under Section 127 of the Electricity Act, 2003.

3. The petitioner has an effective alternative remedy to impugn Ext.P5 order. Any appeal filed within one month from today shall be dealt within two months

W.P.(C).No.18337 of 2015 from today. No further directions are warranted in the circumstances.

The Writ Petition is disposed of.

Sd/- V.CHITAMBARESH JUDGE vs