By Smt. Padmini Sudheesh, President: The petitioners case is as follows. 1. The petitioner is a consumer of the respondents vide consumer No.4998-A2 23 V for a long period. The above said connection is for agricultural purpose. He states that on the basis of the application given to the 3rd respondent he is exempted from electricity charges. On 16.3.07, the petitioner got a disconnection notice from the first respondent showing arrears from 12/01 to 2/07. The arrear amount is Rs.12,650/-. According to the notice, they will disconnect the electricity within 15 days if the arrear is not paid. The complainant prays that the respondent may be directed to cancel the impugned notice and to pay Rs.5000/- as compensation and Rs.1000/- towards costs. 2. The respondents-1 and 2 have filed a counter stating that the name of the complainant is not included in the list of exempted persons sent by the 3rd respondent, the agricultural officer. They admit in their counter that the above said connection is for agricultural purpose is true. But is not exempted from the payment, the petitioner is liable to pay the amount. Hence dismiss. 3. The third respondent has filed a counter to the effect that the connection was not under the scheme provided for getting exemption of power tariff for agricultural purpose and the office records do not show that the complainant had applied for exemption. 4. On going through the versions, we think that the usual directions given in such matters will do in the case on hand also. 5. In the result, the complaint is allowed and the complainant is directed to file an application before the 3rd respondent, the Agricultural Officer concerned seeking exemption granted to agriculturists within one month from today and the 3rd respondent is directed to dispose of the application within two weeks from the date of receipt of the same. It is to be remembered that if the complainant is entitled to have the exemption granted by the Government Notifications and in the light of the decision of the Honble High Court in the batch of cases, OP.Nos.3065, 5803, 6603, 10099 and 10365 of 2002, 6042 of 2000, 34698, 36963 and 36441 of 2001(L) dated 26.7.2002, the complainant is entitled to get exemption from the inception and in that case his name will be included in the list of exempted persons sent to the respondents-1 and 2. The respondents-1 and 2 are directed to wait for the orders of the 3rd respondent and they shall not take any coercive steps against the petitioner pending decision of the 3rd respondent and if he is not entitled for exemption the petitioner shall pay the bill amount within two months. Dictated to the Confidential Assistant, transcribed by her, corrected by me and pronounced in the open Forum, this the 18th day of June 2008.
