Mira Shaw v. W B S E D C L And ORS

19.03.2026 Item No.18 Court No.12 CP MAT No.473 of 2026 with CAN 1 of 2026 Smt. Mira Shaw Vs.

West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited & Ors.

Ms. Lakshmi Shaw ....for the appellant.

Dr. Madhusudan Saha Roy Mr. Debanjan Chatterjee ......for the W.B.S.E.D.C.L.

The appeal arises out of an interim order dated March 9, 2026, passed by a learned Single Judge in WPA 5357 of 2026.

Learned advocate for the writ petitioner/appellant submits that the order suffers from perversity. The adjudication of the writ petition has been restricted to a billing dispute, although, the appellant has raised various other issues including the fraudulent activity of the WBSEDCL in seeking to enter into the premises of the appellant. According to learned Advocate, the WBSEDCL wants to enter into the premises to destroy and damage the meter. It is further submitted that the meter stands in the name of the deceased husband of

the appellant. The appellant also applied for change of name and money was paid.

The appellant also submits that, if a spot bill was raised and the payment was made, the question of inspection of the meter would not arise and the allegation that the door was locked, was untrue. All these points can be raised before the learned Judge. Dr.

Saha Roy, learned advocate for the WBSEDCL, seeks to oppose all these submissions. We are not inclined to enter into the factual aspects, as the writ petition is pending. His Lordship only allowed an inspection in presence of the appellant. Section 163 of the Electricity Act, 2003 empowers the licensee to enter into the premises of any consumer for inspection. Access to premises of consumers, has been provided for in Regulation 55 of the West Bengal Electricity Regulatory Commission's notification dated August 7, 2013.

Under such circumstances, we are not inclined to interfere with the order impugned.

The appellant is reading the order like a statute. The order is innocuous. The learned Judge has not only confined the hearing of the writ petition to the billing dispute. No opinion has been formed by His Lordship.

All points can be urged before His Lordship.

Accordingly, the appeal is disposed of. The connected application being CAN 1 of 2026 is also disposed of. Parties are directed to act on the basis of the server copy of this order.

(Shampa Sarkar, J.) (Ajay Kumar Gupta, J.)