Harekrishna Roy And ORS. v. West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited And ANR.

09.11.2023 Ct. No.5 rpgc/07 WPA 25816 of 2023 Harekrishna Roy & Others - Versus - The West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd. & Anr.

Ms. Sumana Mukherjee ... for the Petitioners.

Mr. Kanak Kiran Bandopadhyay ... for the WBSEDCL.

1.

The petitioners claim to be agriculturists. They are involved in cultivation of agricultural land and they claim that the same is their sole means of earning. 2.

Sixty-seven writ petitioners have filed the present writ petition alleging that exorbitant electricity bills have been raised by the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd. One objection dated 12th September, 2023, addressed to the Station Manager is annexed at page 44 of the writ petition, allegedly signed by eighty-one persons. However, the writ petition has been moved by sixty-seven writ petitioners praying for setting aside the inflated bills raised for the months of July, August and September, 2023.

3.

It appears that the authority before which the representation was made has not been impleaded as party respondent in the present writ petition. 4.

It further appears that the representation at page 44 may not be a comprehensive representation.

5.

The representation ought to have been filed by the consumers separately highlighting their individual grievances. The same does not appear to have been made. Moreover, the Station Manager may not be the appropriate authority to decide the issue.

6.

In view of the above, the instant writ petition is disposed of by granting liberty to the petitioners to approach the competent authority highlighting their grievances individually by filing individual representation.

7.

In the event such representation is filed, the same shall be taken up for consideration in accordance with law and disposed of at the earliest.

8.

The writ petition stands disposed of.

(Amrita Sinha, J.)