Delhi

West Delhi

CC/06/129

Paramjit Anand - Complainant(s)

Versus

1. BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd - Opp.Party(s)

12 Oct 2017

ORDER

CONSUMER DISPUTES  REDRESSAL  FORUM (WEST)

                            GOVERNMENT OF NCT OF DELHI

  150-151 Community Centre, C-Block, Janak Puri, New Delhi – 110058

                                                                                                 Date of institution: 21.03.2006

Complaint Case. No.129/06                                                   Date of order:     12.10.2017

IN  MATTER OF

Paramjit Anand  S/o Late Sh. Mohan Lal Anand  R/o J-5/129, GF, Rajouri Garden,  New Delhi110027.  

Complainant

VERSUS

1. BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd. through its Chairman BSES Bhawan, Nehru Place, New Delhi -110019.
2.  

 

2. Additional General Manager, BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd. Hari Nagar,  New Delhi. 

Opposite party no. 2

 

 

ORDER

R.S. BAGRI, PRESIDENT

            Sh. Paramjit Anand named above herein the complainant has filed the present consumer complaint under Sections 11 and 12 of the Consumer Protection Act against BSES Rajdhani Power  Ltd. and another  hereinafter in short referred as the opposite parties for directions to the opposite parties to replace /remove  defective  electric meters  installed  in premises  No. J-5/129 GF  Rajouri Garden, New Delhi, withdraw inflated  electric bills since April 2005 till date and refund  excess amount  paid by the complainant and raise future bills as per consumption  given by the old meters and  not to disconnect  electricity supply  to the electric meters of the complainant, pay Rs. 1.0 lac of compensation for mental agony, harassment , trouble and physical inconvenience on account of  deficiency in service and unfair trade practice on part of the  opposite parties and  Rs. 5,000/- towards  litigation  expenses.   

            The brief relevant facts necessary for disposal of the present complaint  as stated are  that  Late Sh.  Mohan Lal  Anand  father of Sh. Paramjit Singh complainant was  having electric meters  K.No.   8JP 14E   794839    and 8JP 0070677808   at  premises   bearing No. J-5/129, GF, Rajouri Garden, New Delhi installed  of DESU.

            That  after taking over the DESU by  BSES Rajdhani  Power Ltd.  the opposite party no.1 , the opposite parties abruptly in hasty manner  changed  old mechanical  meters  bearing K .No 8JP 14E   794839 with new K.No  2610H8380319 and  K.No.  8JP 0070677808  with new K.No. 2016H8380132 both electric meters.   The opposite party no. 1 issued  first bill  in month of July 2005 and  to  utter shock  and surprise of the complainant the bill for the month of  June 2005 dated 14.07.2005 was almost twelve times higher  than the bills issued on the basis of consumption of  old meters. The pattern of reading shown  in the new bill clearly shows that the opposite parties changed the old meters with the new meters for  advantage  of the opposite parties  and disadvantage of complainant.   Therefore, there is unfair trade practice and deficiency in service on the part of the opposite parties.

              That the opposite parties have installed defective electric  meters which are running  fast without any control on the electric meters and  are giving increased   consumption.  The bill   for the month of June 2005  dated  14.07.2005 is highly inflated  and twelve times higher  than previous bill .  The bill dated 27.02.2005 showed  energy charges of Rs. 290/- in meter K.No. 2610H8380132 and Rs. 800/- in the meter K. No. 2610H8380319  and bills received  after installation of new  electric   meters  were Rs. 9278.90 for  meter K. No. 2610H8380319 and Rs. 2784/- for meter K.No. 2610H8380132 despite the fact  pattern of consumption of energy of the complainant is the same as  it was prior to the installation of new electric meter.  The complainant several times  asked the opposite parties to look into the  matter.    Therefore, the opposite parties agreed for testing of the meters  by their  officer  and   the meter testing report  of both  the meters showed that the meters are recording more electricity consumption. Hence the present complaint for directions to the opposite parties   to replace /remove  defective  electric meters  installed  in premises  No. J-5/129 GF  Rajouri Garden, New Delhi, withdraw inflated  electric bills since April 2005 till date and refund  excess amount  paid by the complainant and raise future bills as per consumption  given by the old meters and  not to disconnect  electricity supply  to the electric meters of the complainant, pay Rs. 1.0 lac of compensation  for mental agony, harassment , trouble and physical inconvenience on account of  deficiency in service and unfair trade practice on part of the  opposite parties and  Rs. 5,000/- towards  litigation  expenses.  

After notice the opposite parties filed reply while raising preliminary objections that the complaint is false, frivolous and devoid of any marit and has been filed with intention to avoid payment of the  pending  dues and  misuse of process  of law.  The complaint is without any cause of action.   Sh.  Mohan  Lal is registered consumer and complainant is not a registered consumer. Hence has no  locus- standi  to file  the  present complaint.

            On merits the  opposite parties admitted  that Sh. Mohan Lal  father of  the complainant had electric meters K. No. K .No 8JP 14E   794839 and K.No  and  K.No.  8JP 0070677808 at the  premises   bearing No. J-5/129 GF Rajouri Garden, New Delhi. The old  mechanical meters were replaced by new electric meters K.No. 2610H8380132 and  K. No. 2610H8380319 as per mass drive  conducted by the opposite parties.  The  conventional  mechanical  meter  either did not  record in tempered condition or  even start running in reverse direction.   The electric meters measure   accurate.  The   electricity consumption charges bills are issued in time as per  consumption.   There is no unfair trade practice or deficiency in service on the part of the opposite parties and prayed for dismissal of the complaint.

The complainant filed rejoinder to the reply of the opposite parties while controverting  stand of the opposite parties and reiterating his stand. He once again prayed for directions to the opposite parties. 

When Sh. Parmjit Anand  complainant   was asked to lead  evidence by way of affidavit  he filed  affidavit narrating facts of the complaint.  He also relied upon  bills issued by BSES  Rajdhani Power Ltd. of old mechanical  meters, electricity bill for the month of June 2005 dated 14.07.2005, acknowledgements  of complaints lodged by the complainant ,  bills dated 26.08.2005  and bills for sum of                           Rs. 15,000/-  paid  by the complainant  under  protest.   

When the opposite parties were asked to lead evidence by way of  affidavit , they  tendered in evidence  affidavit of Sujay Chaturvedi Business Manager  BSES Rajdhani  power Pvt. Ltd.  narrating facts of their  reply.  They  also relied upon supply disconnection slips   dated 25.04.2008.,  meter testing reports  No. 43758, 110135, 110134 and letter no. BM(D) JKP /06-07/PG/901 dated 27.02.2007 of  demand charges,

We have heard learned counsel for the parties  and   have gone through the material on record carefully and thoroughly.

From  pleadings  of the parties, affidavits of the parties and documents  tendered   by   the  parties  it  is     common   case    of   the  parties  that   Late Sh. Mohan Lal father of the complainant  had  mechanical   meters K. No. K .No 8JP 14E   794839 and K.No   and  K.No.  8JP 0070677808 at the  premises   bearing No. J-5/129 GF Rajouri Garden, New Delhi.  The opposite parties replaced old  mechanical meters with new electric meters K.No. 2610H8380132 and K. No. 2610H8380319 .

 The case of the complainant is that new electric meters are running fast.  The new meters  have been  replaced hastily without any reason  just to harm and harass the complainant and others.  Therefore, there is unfair trade practice  and deficiency in service on the part of the opposite parties.   

Whereas  the case of the opposite parties  is that old mechanical meters were not giving correct reading, therefore, the old mechanical meters were replaced with the new electric meters. 

It is worthwhile mentioning here that on request  of the parties  the electric meters were checked  and tested  by  CPRI (Central Power Research Institute) experts. They found the electric meters working accurately. Learned  Counsel for  complainant has failed to show that  the changed electric meters are running fast and gave wrong reading.   

Hon’ble High Court  of Delhi in writ petition No. 12328/2005   titled  Suresh  Jindal Vs BRPL   held that  the opposite parties have  right to change  the old mechanical meter with new electronic meters.

Similar are the facts of the present case .  The opposite parties  changed the  old mechanical meters with new electric meters  and on testing the new electric meters were found working correctly . The electric meters are giving correct reading . Hence the   complainant has failed to  point out  any unfair trade practice or deficiency in service on the part of the opposite parties.  Whereas the opposite parties replaced the mechanical meters with new electric meters and electric meters  are  giving accurate reading and billing.  Therefore there is no unfair trade practice or deficiency in service on the part of the opposite parties .

Hence  there is no merit  in the complaint.  The same fails and is hereby dismissed.     

onHoH

  Order pronounced on : 12.10.2017

• Copy of order be sent to the concerned parties free of cost.
• Thereafter, file be consigned to record.

                  

(PUNEET LAMBA)                                                              ( R.S.  BAGRI )

                         MEMBER                                                                       PRESIDENT