Sekh Saufat Ali v. State Of West Bengal And ORS.
17.11.2025 Court No.25 DL/Item No.-20 [Milan] WPA 26215 of 2024 Sekh Saufat Ali versus The State of West Bengal & Ors.
Mr. Debashis Banerjee, Mr. Partha Sarathi Das, Mr. Rakesh Jana ....for the Petitioner Dr. Madhusudan Saha Roy, Mr. Debanjan Chatterjee ....for WBSEDCL Initially the petitioner has applied for grant of electricity connection before the WBSEDCL and as per the request made by the petitioner on 21st December, 2023 on compliance of all formalities, WBSEDCL installed the new meter in the premises of the petitioner. On the very same day, the cousins of the petitioner have disconnected the electricity connection and damaged the electricity meter provided in the premises of the petitioner.
Immediately the petitioner has made a complaint before the WBSEDCL as well as the concerned police. The petitioner has made request to the WBSEDCL changing the meter which has been destroyed by the
cousins of the petitioner but till date the meter has not been changed and the petitioner is not getting electricity connection.
The learned Counsel for the WBSEDCL submits that on receipt of complaint from the petitioner, the authorities have inspected the premises of the petitioner to change the new meter but the authorities have found the villagers have restrained the authorities from changing the new meter in the place of the destroyed meter.
The learned Counsel appearing for the WBSEDCL submits that without police protection it is not possible for the authority to change the new meter in place of the destroyed meter of the petitioner. He further submits unless and until the meter is not changed, the electricity connection cannot be restored.
The learned advocate for WBSEDCL has handed over a letter vide communicated dated 30th January, 2024 addressed to the petitioner wherein it mentioned that the authorities has no objection for restoring the service connection but appropriate action should be taken so that no persons can object for providing electricity connection in the premises of the petitioner. Heard the learned Counsel for the respective parties and perused the communication dated 30th January, 2024. There is no dispute that the authorities have provided electricity connection in the premises of
the petitioner but on the very same day due to dispute, the cousins of the petitioner has destroyed the electric meter of the petitioner and due to which the petitioner is not getting the electricity connection.
The WBSEDCL has already inspected the premises of the petitioner and tried to install the electric connection to the petitioner but there is resistance from the cousins of the petitioner.
In view of the above, the WBSEDCL being the respondent no.5 is directed to make necessary arrangement for change of the meter by replacing the destroyed meter provided in the premises of the petitioner within a period of two weeks from the date of compliance of all formalities, if any. If the petitioner and the respondent no.5 finds that there is any resistance from any of the persons, the petitioner shall make appropriate request before the respondent no.6 and if any, request is made by the petitioner to the respondent no.6, the respondent no.6 shall provide appropriate police assistance and protection to the petitioner as well as the officials of the respondent no.5 for providing the electric connection and replacement of new meter in the place of destroyed meter.
The petitioner shall bear all costs for the police protection and the other miscellaneous charges. If the authorities have found that any padlock is to be removed, the private respondents or any other persons
are not removing the padlock, the petitioner shall break open the padlock in presence of the police for the purpose of getting electric connection, and after getting electric connection from the said service line, the petitioner will put a new padlock and will hand over a key to the persons who are in charge of the said padlock in presence of the police.
Accordingly, the writ petition being WPA 26215 of 2024 is disposed of.
Urgent photostat certified copy of this order, if applied for, be given to the parties upon compliance of all necessary formalities.
(Krishna Rao, J.)