Rajani Debi v. The Cesc Limited And ORS.

21st December, (AK) W.P.A 25253 of 2022 Rajani Debi Vs.

The CESC Limited and others Mr. Tulsi Das Maiti Mr. Pradip Kumar Ghosh Mr. Snehasish Bala ...for the petitioner.

Mr. Debanjan Mukherjee ...for the CESC Limited.

Mr. Rama Prasad Sarkar Ms. Anita Deb Jana ...for the State.

Mr. Pratik Majumder ...for the respondent no.3.

Learned counsel for the petitioner submits at the outset that the CESC Limited had installed an electricity meter at the premises in the name of the petitioner, which was subsequently demolished by the men and agents of the private respondent.

Such contention is squarely denied by learned counsel appearing for the private respondents, who contends that no notice of any inspection was ever served on the private respondents prior to the CESC Limited holding the purported inspection.

A report of the inspection-in-question is filed in court by learned counsel for the CESC Limited and is kept on record.

The same does not indicate that any electricity meter was installed, but it is mentioned therein that the premises-in-question is now technically fit for providing meter supply in favour of the petitioner.

Even without going into the controversy as to whether a meter was installed by the CESC Limited and thereafter uprooted by the private respondents, which allegations, of course, are denied by both the CESC Limited and the private respondents, since the specific purpose of the inspection as directed by this court was merely to check the feasibility and it has been observed by the CESC Limited that the premises are now technically fit, there cannot be any further impediment to give a new electricity connection in the name of the petitioner at the existing meter board position of the premises-in-question.

Accordingly, WPA 25253 of 2022 is disposed of by directing the CESC Limited to give a new meter connection to the petitioner at the premises-in-question from the existing meter board position as expeditiously as possible, positively within a fortnight from the date of compliance of all formalities by the petitioner, alternatively from this date, whichever is later. In the event any obstruction is raised by the private respondents and/or their men and agents, the CESC personnel shall be at liberty to approach respondent no.4,

the Officer-in-Charge of the Bhadreswar Police Station, for police assistance in that regard.

If so approached, respondent no.4 shall act on a server copy of this order and grant such assistance at the cost of the petitioner and, in the process, will have the right to remove any hindrance or padlock, if put up by the private respondents, for the specific purpose of enabling the CESC personnel to give the electricity connection to the petitioner.

There will be no order as to costs.

Urgent photostat copies of this order, if applied for, be given to the parties upon compliance of all requisite formalities.

(Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya, J.)