Umang Naresh Shah v. The State Of Maharashtra Thr The Secretary Industry Energy And

2026:BHC-AS:14617-DB

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO. 4629 OF 2025 Umang Naresh Shah .. Petitioner

Versus

The State of Maharashtra and Ors.

.. Respondents Mr. Gaurav Shenoy, with Adv. Tanmay Karmarkar, for the Petitioner.

Mr. R.S. Pawar, for the Respondent-State.

Adv. Soham Bhalerao, a/w Adv. Harshit Tyagi, i/b DSK Legal, for Respondent No.2.

Adv. Ratnakar Singh, for Respondent No.3.

Mr. Umang Shah, Petitioner in person is present. CORAM: B. P. COLABAWALLA & FIRDOSH P. POONIWALLA, JJ.

DATE:

P. C.

1.

The above Writ Petition is filed seeking directions to the Respondents to issue electricity bills to Advocates' offices situated in commercial complexes or other residential premises under the Public Services Consumer Category, and for that purpose, issue necessary orders.

2.

While the above Writ Petition was pending, the MERC has passed a tariff order dated 28th March 2025, whereby Advocates, amongst others, including Teachers, Doctors, Professional Engineers, Chartered Accountants/Tax Consultants etc., occupying premises exclusively for conducting their profession, have been categorised under "LT VII: LT - Public Services". We find that once this is the tariff order passed by the MERC, the grievance raised in the above Petition is duly redressed. 3.

We therefore dispose of the above Writ Petition by directing the Petitioner to make an application to the MSEDCL for change of their category as per the MERC order dated 28th March 2025. This application shall be made by the Petitioner within a period of 2 weeks from today. 4.

On receiving such an application, the MSEDCL shall decide the application within a period of 3 weeks thereafter, and if found in order, accordingly change the category of the Petitioner from the Commercial Category to the Public Services Consumer Category. 5.

Since the order of the MERC is dated 28th March 2025 and the Public Services Consumer Category is effective from 1st April 2025, any bills raised on the Petitioner after 1st April 2025, and which have been charged as

per the rates of the Commercial Category, in subsequent bills, credit shall be given by the MSEDCL to the Petitioner on the difference in the rates between the Commercial Category and the Public Services Consumer Category. As mentioned earlier, this will only apply to the bills that have been generated after 1st April 2025.

6.

With the above directions, the Writ Petition is disposed of. 7.

This order will be digitally signed by the Private Secretary/ Personal Assistant of this Court. All concerned will act on production by fax [FIRDOSH P. POONIWALLA, J.] [B. P. COLABAWALLA, J.] Signed by: Darshan Patil Designation: PA To Honourable Judge Date: 26/03/2026 19:01:46