ORDER BY HON’BLE PRESIDENT- MR. P.K. PADHI:

                                                                                                 JUDGMENT

            Complainant has filed this consumer complaint U/s.12 of C.P. Act, 1986 seeking following reliefs;

            “Direct the opposite parties not to insist upon the illegal demand of Rs.73,733/- and revise the bills as per meter reading and till then not to disconnect the power supply to the premises”.

            The brief fact of the case is that the father of the complainant was a consumer under the opposite parties and after him now the complainant is continuing as consumer under the opposite parties. After 2003 one meter was installed and although the meter was installed but the said meter was defective one and the bill which was generated was also very high than the real consumption. Thereafter one china meter was installed and from that day the bills are coming as per the meter reading and the complainant also paying the bills as per the meter reading till yet. The meter reading showing properly but without calculating the proper monthly consumption by taking into three months meter reading and without correcting the previous outstanding dues, the opposite parties are now demanding illegal arrear of Rs.73,733/- and subsequently threatened to disconnect the power supply from the premises of the complainant is deficiency in service by the opposite parties.  

            Opposite parties filed their written version stating as under;

            After supper cyclone the electric bill from 09/2000 to 04/2024 served on average basis due to collapse of old meter. But bills from 05/2004 to 09/2018 served to the consumer on actual meter reading. After defect of the old meter on 10/2018 a new meter was installed on 11/2018 and meter reading bills served from 12/2018 onwards. The complainant is not a regular payer of current electric dues since supper cyclone to till date. At the time of regular meter reading on 05/2014 the arrear outstanding was Rs.30,343/-, but now the arrear outstanding reflects Rs.60,890.22 up to 01/2020. An amounting to Rs.30,547.22 is net due on the complainant from 05/2004 to 01/2020. In case of revision of average bills, no revision bills from 09/1998 as per OERC guidelines of 60(b) in 1998. Only average bills from 09/1998 onwards will be revised on the basis of average consumption of meter reading.

            As it reveals from the records and ledger filed by opposite parties from August, 1998 to Jan.2020 every month there is increase in the dues of complainant and it is not the case that all of a sudden opposite parties have demand Rs.73,733/-.

            Taking into consideration the fact we do not interfere in the billing and accounting of opposite parties. However we direct the opposite parties to consider the case and if the complainant makes an application for OTS then the same may be considered deducting some portion as admissible and be settled. With the aforesaid observation and direction the consumer complaint is disposed of. No cost.