Today is fixed for order. We have gone through  the complaint and allied documents as such, money receipts, copy of letters, address to the OPs and given due consideration to the submission made by the complainant. It needs to be mentioned here that the number of WhatsApp message in image form have been filed and none of the same is at all legible.

The grievance of the complaint relates to unwillingness on the part of WBSEDCL to restore the supply of energy to the house of the complaint at Chakda. It has been alleged by the complainant that although electricity supply to his house was disconnected in July, 2015 on his application after accepting the disconnection fee and also a sum of Rs. 4,505/- for energy charges for May to July of 2015 on 07.07.2015. The OPs have demanded a sum of Rs. 1,00,000/- which was reduced to Rs. 48,000/- on account of outstanding bill when he approached them for reconnection. He has wanted to say that since he paid Rs. 4,505/- in July, 2015 nothing remains recoverable while reconnecting the supply of electricity. But none of electricity bills which were received by him before July, 2015 has been filed. Had he filed those bills, any of them surely would bear a mention as to the quantum of outstanding bill upto July 2015. The mere fact that he paid Rs. 4,505/- on 07.07.2015 does not prove that all the outstanding amount, if any, got liquidated at the time of disconnection. Keeping in view the provision of Rule 6(6) of Electricity Rule, 2020 it may be opined that bills for last one year were available to him as on the date of disconnection. Another aspect of the matter is that he could have but has not made the deposit of the amount in compliance with the request of the OPs under protest.

By filing this case he has sought for that an order directing the OPs for restoration of the electricity connection without discharging his obligation as to payment of the outstanding bills. On an overall consideration of the matter we find that he has failed to make out a case under Consumer Protection Act. The OPs have every right to ask the consumers for clearance of the outstanding bills at the time of disconnection and also at the time of reconnection. Therefore, the case of the complainant has no leg to stand upon.

Hence, it is ordered that the case be and the same is dismissed as being not admitted.

The complainant will get a copy of this order free of cost.

He will get back the documents he has filed in support of this case.

Dictated and corrected by

[HON'BLE MR. Lakshmi Kanta Das]
PRESIDENT