ADONI COTTON MILLS LIMITED SIDDAMASETTI RAMARATHAM PROP KRISHNA RICE AND OIL MILLS JAYANTILAL DHANJI OIL MILLS ANIL KUMAR AND CO N RAJA PULLAVAH FIRM MAWADI MOULDING FACTORY J Vs. ANDHRA PRADESH STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD:CHAIRMAN ANDHRA PRADESH STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD:ANDHRA PRADESH STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD:ANDHRA PRADESH STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD:ANDHRA PRADESH STATE ELECTRICITY

JUDGEMENT

(1.) These appeals are by special leave from the judgment dated 26 August, 1975 of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh.

(2.) The special leave was granted as follows:-

(3.) The State Electricity Board referred to for brevity as the Board supplies electricity of two varieties. One is high tension. The other is low tension. Power is generated by hydro electrical method by use of river waters and also by thermal method using coal. The Board fixed quotas for consumption with effect from March 1972 because power generated was not adequate to meet the requirements. For a short period between 7 July, 1972 and 16 August, 1972 these quots were lifted. The restrictions were reimposed. An extra charges for consumption of energy beyond the limits of quotas was introduced on 25 February 1973. The charge was double the usual rate. This continued till 1 August, 1974. The Board introduced on 29 July, 1974 a further cut in quotas and enhanced the extra charges. The extra charges were double the usual rates, if the excess consumption was 20 per cent or below that limit over the newly introduced quotas. If the total consumption was in excess of 20 per cent, the extra charge was four times the total excess consumption. The Board on 20 March, 1975 reduced the quotas still further retaining the pattern of extra charges. Weekly quotas instead of monthly ones, were introduced. A restriction was imposed to the effect that for every 5 per cent of excess consumption there would be one day's cut.