Orissa

Rayagada

CC/57/2019

Sri K.Murali Prasad Patnaik - Complainant(s)

Versus

The Exedcutive Enigineer, South co - Opp.Party(s)

Self

27 Aug 2020

ORDER

  

DISTRICT   CONSUMER  DISPUTES REDRESSAL    FORUM, RAYAGADA,

STATE:  ODISHA.

C.C. Case  No.  57 / 2019.                                             Date.   27      .   8    . 2020

P R E S E N T .

Dr. Aswini  Kumar Mohapatra,                       President.

Sri  Gadadhara  Sahu,                                           Member.

Smt. Padmalaya  Mishra,                                     Member.

 

Sri K.Murali  Prasad  Patnaik, At: Reli Street,Electrical Consumer Account No.311101230069,

Cell No. 9778971289,     Po/Dist:Rayagada  (Odisha). 765 001.                                                                                                                                      …. Complainant.

Versus.

1.The Sub-Divisional Officer, SOUTH. CO., Electrical  Sub-division,  At: Seriguda,  Rayagada.                                                                ……...Opp.Parties

For the Complainant:-Self.

For the O.Ps.  :-  In person.

.

JUDGEMENT

                The  crux of the case is that  the above named complainant alleging deficiency in service  against  afore mentioned O.Ps for  non revision  of Excess domestic  Electrical bill  bearing consumer  No. 311101230069 for which  the complainant  sought for redressal of the grievances raised by the complainant. The brief facts of the case  has summarised here under.

On being noticed the O.Ps appeared through their learned counsel and filed written version refuting allegation made against them.  The O.Ps taking one and another pleas in the written version   sought to dismiss the complaint as it is not maintainable  under the C.P. Act, 1986. The facts which are not specifically admitted may be treated  as denial of the O.Ps. Hence the O.Ps  prays the forum to dismiss the case against  them  to meet the ends of justice.

  Heard arguments from the O.Ps and from the complainant.    Perused the record, documents, written version  filed by the parties. 

This forum  examined the entire material on record  and given  a thoughtful consideration  to the  arguments  advanced  before us by  the  parties touching the points both on the facts  as well as on  law.

                                                         FINDINGS.

Undisputedly the complainant is  a Electrical Domestic  Consumer  bearing  Consumer No. 311101230069  availed  the service of the  O.P  on payment  of monthly  consumed   electrical   charges.

The main grievance of the complainant is that  the O.P had  disconnected  the  service line  of  Consumer No. 311101230069  during the month of  March, 2019 for  non payment  of  outstanding   consumption bill  without  supply of detailed  consumption  of   electricity.  Hence this C.C. case.

The O.P. in their written version  contended that  the consumer availed power supply since  1975, the contract demand  was 1.75 Kw. outstanding arrear as  on 6/2019 is Rs.1,09,723/-.  The complainant  never approached to  the O.P. for revision of the bill.  The complainant had deposited Rs.1,000/- in January,2010, which proves  that the power supply was availed  by him. The complainant  had not given any written request for disconnection of power supply in the year 2009.   During the 6 years i.e. from January, 2010 to March, 2016 the consumer had deposited only  twice  i.e. Rs.1,000/- in January, 2010/-  and Rs.3,000/- in March, 2016.  Mean while as the defective meter has been replaced with a new one on Dt. 17.7.2019 after generation of three months bills, taking the average   consumption of meter reading, the previous  bills issued  to the consumer  will be revised as per the above mentioned regulation.

Admittedly the complainant had availed the service line  on Dt.11.3.2016  on payment of Rs.3,000/- with reconnection  charges a sum of Rs.150.00 (copies of the  Money receipt  is in the file which is marked as Annexure-I)..  The complainant  during the course of hearing  submitted that the O.Ps had not received the  consumption charges   periodically  on the plea  that  outstanding  dues   are in the above  account.  In the mean while the O.Ps had disconnected the  service line of the complainant  during the month of  March, 2019 for non payment of outstanding dues.

Admittedly the service line again  has  charged  to the complainant  premises  by the O.Ps on Dt.16.7.2019  on the strength  of   the  interim  order  passed   by   this forum Dt. 10.7.2019   and  has received Rs.3,000/- along with  Reconnection charges Rs.150.00 (copies of the  Money receipt  is in the file which is marked as Annexure-2).

During the course of hearing the  complainant   submitted that  the O.Ps have  assessed  a huge amount  of  Rs.1,09,723/-  as outstanding against the  complainant  without meter reading.  Further the complainant had raised his objection through  R.T.I letter  Dt.20.3.2019 with regard to inflated electricity bills of the  O.Ps ( copies of the same is in the file  which is marked as  Annexure-3 ).

Further  the O.Ps   had  charged  the contract demand  1.75 KW.  load factor provisional  bill  due to the defective  of meter  as revealed from the  statement of accounts filed by the  O.Ps  before the forum.

During  the course of hearing the complainant  has submitted that he had not  availed the power supply  from the year   2010 to   February, 2016 and  had  not  received any bills from the  O.Ps during that period.  More over the complainant  submitted that he will pay the electricity   charges from  March, 2016  onwards as per the new meter reading.

Hence   the O.P.  had  claimed  outstanding arrear as on  June,2019  a sum of Rs.1,09,723/-   and served on the complainant is barred by the limitation and the same shall be liable  to quash.

Further this forum observed  the  defect was due to the negligence of the O.P and the complainant  could not be burdened for the same.

This forum by relying upon a citation  passed by the Hon’ble  Supreme Court  in the case of Muncipal Committee, Hoshiarpur  Vrs.  Punjab  State Electricity  Board  and other under Civil Appeal No. 9651 of 2003 Dtd. on October,2010 and reported in SCC 2010 (13) page No. 216  “Safeguards  to be adopted  by electricity  supplier  before charging   higher amount from consumer”.

We  find the O.P. claimed  outstanding arrear as on  June,2019  a sum of Rs.1,09,723/-   and served on the complainant  under  Consumer No. 311101230069 as null  and void.

The complainant has paid some amount  for the period from  March, 2016  to till date  towards  energy charges to the O.Ps.

Hence to  meet the ends of justice, the following order is passed.

                                                ORDER.

In resultant  the complaint petition is  hereby allowed  in part   on contest  against the O.Ps.

The Electrical bill towards Consumer No. 311101230069 charged  towards  Arrear as on June, 2019  to the tune of Rs.1,09,723/-   is hereby  quashed.

The O.Ps had replaced the defective meter with a new one during the month of  July, 2019. We feel in time proper course of action  should   have been  taken by the O.Ps and for the ends of  principle of natural  justice,   we   direct  the  O.Ps  to revise the bill for the period from  March, 2016 onwards to  till date    by taking  the reading of  consumption in accordance to  New Meter  reading for the period  from  Dt. 17.7.2019  to 17.10.2019 (3 months)  to calculate the average consumption   and accordingly revise the bill for the period from March, 2016 onwards.

The O.Ps are further   directed to adjust in the   bill  which was paid by the complainant in the disputed period   towards  consumer No. 311102050334. There is   no order   as to cost.

The OPs    are  ordered to make compliance the aforesaid Order within  60 days from the  date of  receipt  of the  order. Serve the copies of the order to the parties free of cost. The Interim order passed on Dt.3.9.2016  stands vacated.

Dictated and corrected by me.          

Pronounced on this       27th.   Day of    August,   2020

 

Member.                                                             Member.                                                      President