Debasis Sinharoy v. West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd And ANR

23.03.2022 TN WPA No.4480 of 2022 Debasis Sinharoy Vs.

West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited and another Mr. Tapas Kr. Dey, Mr. Sirsendu Sinha Roy .... for the petitioner Mr. Amitabh Shukla, Mr. Prakash Ch. Pandey .... for the WBSEDCL Learned counsel for the petitioner argues that initially the Distribution Licensee had admitted, on the complaint of the petitioner and upon a direction of this court, that the electric meter of the petitioner provided by the Distribution Licensee was faulty. Subsequently, the faulty meter was replaced by another meter which, according to the petitioner, is also defective.

It is submitted that despite the existence of the defect in the new meter as well, the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (for short

"the WBSEDCL") has been charging exorbitant amounts in lieu of electric charges.

Learned counsel for the WBSEDCL controverts the allegation that exorbitant bills are being raised. Since the dispute squarely relates to a billing dispute, inter alia, involving the question of the status of the meter (whether working or faulty), the matter is to be adjudicated by the concerned Grievance Redressal Officer (GRO) under the law.

Accordingly, WPA No.4480 of 2022 is disposed of by granting liberty to the petitioner to approach the GRO concerned for the reliefs claimed herein. It is made clear that this court has not gone into the merits of the respective contentions of the parties and it will be open to the GRO to decide the same upon hearing necessary parties and in accordance with law, preferably within one month from the date of reference of the dispute to the GRO.

There will be no order as to costs.

Urgent photostat certified copies of this order, if applied for, be made available to the parties upon compliance with the requisite formalities.

(Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya, J.)