Orissa

Rayagada

CC/42/2021

Sri Udhb Karkaria - Complainant(s)

Versus

The SDO Electrical Southco - Opp.Party(s)

Self

10 May 2023

ORDER

DISTRICT CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION RAYAGADA, ODISHA.

Date of Institution: 24.02.2021

      Date of Final Hearing: 05.04.2023

        Date of  Pronouncement: 10.05.2023

CONSUMER COMPLAINT NO. 42 / 2021

 

Sri  Udhab Karkria, S/O:   Late  Paiku  Karkaria,

At/Po: Gadiseshkhal,

Po/Dist: Rayagada.

(Through Self for the Complainant)                           …Complainant

 

Versus

1. The  Sub-divisional Officer, TPSODL

 

(Through Self for the O.P)                              …Opposite Parties

             Present:          1. Sri Rajendra Kumar Panda, President.

ORDER         U/S- 39  R/W 64 OF THE C.P.ACT,2019

Sri  Rajendra  Kumar  Panda, President.

Brief facts of the case:-

Case in hand is the allegation of  deficiency in service and unfair trade practice by the O.Ps  for  non revision of  Electrical bill bearing  consumer  No. 311203410069  which  the complainant sought  redressal.

The  O.P. appeared  and filed  written version.

Heard from the parties. Perused the record, documents  filed  by both  the parties.

Undisputedly the complainant is a consumer bearing Consumer No. 311203410069  and  the  complainant is belongs to domestic  category.

The  O.Ps  in their written version  contended that  the complainant  having old arrear dues  upto  09/2020 meter reading  29970 units, amounting to  Rs. 1,03,563/-  which has not paid by  the consumer.  The billed  from the date of supply to  09/2020 in  cumulatively arrives to a tune of Rs. 1,03,563/- after adjustment of  payments made by the  complainant. The complainant  had  availing power supply from 32 years and paid  only 11 times  for which  the dues is rising monthly and arrives to  Rs.1,03,563/- as on  09/2020.

During the  course of   hearing the  complainant  submitted that  surprisingly  the O.Ps have  charged  a sum of Rs.1,03,563/- up to  September, 2020  which  is  highly  excessive  and should be quashed by the commission for the best  interest  of justice.

Again   it is observed  the O.P. had never served  any bill for consumption of electricity by the complainant  till August, 2020.  Hence the amount  claimed by the  O.Ps  are barred  by limitation  Under Section- 56 Sub-section (2) of the Electricity   Act, 2003.  Section-56  Sub-section(2) of the Electricity  Act, 2003 provide as  “Notwithstanding  anything   contained in any other law for the time being in force, no sum due for  date when such sum became first due unless such sum has been shown  continuously as recoverable  as arrear charges for Electricity supplied and the licensee shall not cut off the supply of the electricity”.

Under Section -56 Sub-Section(2)  prescribe  a limitation, if any amount due must be shown as arrear from the   date when such sum became first due and after two years  of limitation the license can not recovered   any due from  the consumer.

For better appreciation this commission relied  citation   of the Hon’ble High Court,Odisha which  is mentioned here under:-

It is  held and reported in  O.L.R. 2012 (2) page No. 835 in the case of   M/S. Shree Shyam Roller  and flour Mill(P) Ltd. Vrs. Ombudsman-I and others the  Hon’ble High  Court, Odisha  where  in observed  “Limitation to recover of the due from a consumer as prescribed  in Section-56  Sub-section (2) of the Electricity  Act,  2003”.

Hence   the O.P. claimed  outstanding arrear as on  September,2020  a sum of Rs.1,03,563/- and served on the complainant is barred by the limitation and the same shall be liable  to quash.

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

This commission 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 September,2020  a sum of Rs.  1,03,563/- and served on the complainant  under  Consumer No. 311203410069  as null  and void.

 

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. 311203410069  charged  towards  Arrear as on September, 2020  to the tune of Rs.1,03,563/-   is hereby  quashed.

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.

Miscellaneous  order if any  delivered by this  commission  relating to this case  stands vacated. 

 A copy of this order be provided to all the parties at  free of cost as mandated by the Consumer Protection Act,  2019 or they may download same from the confonet.nic.in to treat the same as if copy of order received from this Commission.

Pronounced in the open court of this Commission today on this 10^th. Day of    May, 2023 under the  seal  & signature of  this Commission.

Dictated and corrected  by me.

                                                                                    PRESIDENT

The judgment be uploaded forthwith on the website of the Commission for the perusal of the parties.

File be consigned to the record room along with a copy of this Judgment.                                                                                             

                                                                                    PRESIDENT

 

PRONOUNCED ON   DTD. 10.05.2023