By Sri. M.S. Sasidharan, Member: The complainant’s case in brief is that he is the consumer of the respondents and also the Secretary of the Islamic Service Charitable Trust, Edakkazhiyur Unit. The complainant’s consumer number is 5595 VIA 18A. He has been paying the electricity charges as per the consumption of energy and bill without making any arrears. On 20.3.08 he has been issued with a notice demanding to pay Rs.3115/- as short assessment from first month of 2001 to 12th month of 2007. Even though he enquired about the notice and bill the third respondent did not give any satisfactory explanation but insisted to pay the bill immediately failing which it was threatened to disconnect the supply without any notice. Since there is no arrears to pay the bill issued by the respondent is unfair and unjust. Hence the complaint. 2. The version is that the electricity connection vide consumer No.5595/MTA is under LT VIA tariff with a connected load of 1410 watts. In an inspection made by the Regional Audit officer it was found that fixed charge for 1 KW instead of 2 KW was charged from 1/2001 to 12/2007. Following this a short assessment bill dt. 20.2.2008 for Rs.3115/- was issued. The fixed charge is calculated on the basis of the electric load in respect of the electrical equipments installed at the time of availing connection if the consumer wants to reduce the connected load he has to initiate action in this regard. So the short assessment bill for Rs.3115/- is issued as per the existing rules and the complainant is liable to pay the same. Hence dismiss the complaint. 3. The points for consideration are: (1)Is the complainant liable to pay the Ext. P1 bill? (2)Other reliefs and costs. 4. The evidence consists of Exts. P1 and R1. Either the complainant or the respondents have no oral evidence to adduce. 5. Points: The complainant’s case is that he has been paying the electricity charges regularly and no dues are pending against him. But he has been issued with Ext. P1 bill to pay Rs.3115/- as short assessment and the complainant did not get any satisfactory explanation regarding the bill. So the bill is unfair and he is not liable to pay it. The version is that the electricity connection in question is under LT VIIA tariff with a connected load of 1410 watts. In the Regional Audit Officer’s inspection it was found that fixed charges for 1 KW instead of 2 KW was charged from 1/2001 to 12/2007. The fixed charges are calculated on the basis of the connected load of electrical equipments installed at the time of availing connection. If it is necessary to reduce the connected load the consumer has to initiate action for that. Hence the Ext. P1 bill is issued for the electricity left uncharged and so it is issued as per the rules in force. 6. Heard both sides. 7. There is no dispute regarding the connected load in respect of the electricity connection in question. The Ext. P1 bill is issued as per the finding of the inspection conducted by the Regional Audit Officers. It was found that the electricity bills in respect of the complainant’s electricity connection were issued only for 1 KW. But the connected load was 1410 watts and so bills were to be issued for 2 KWs. To rectify the defects the Ext. P1 bill was issued. So the Ext. P1 bill relates to the unbilled portion of the electricity consumed by the complainant. If any of the electrical equipments installed at the time of availing connection the complainant had to apply for reducing the connected load as per the rules in this regard and no such issue has been raised in the complaint. The details of calculating Rs.3115/- are also stated in Ext. P1 bill and no penal charge is seen. As the Ext. P1 bill relates to the energy consumed by the complainant, he is liable to pay the bill amount. 8. In the result, the complaint stands dismissed. Dictated to the Confidential Assistant, transcribed by her, corrected by me and pronounced in the open Forum, this the 18th day of May 2010.
| | HONORABLE Rajani P.S., Member | HONORABLE Padmini Sudheesh, PRESIDENT | HONORABLE Sasidharan M.S, Member | | 
