SARASWATHY Vs. ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE ENGINEER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The order of rejection issued by the respondent in proceedings dated 10.10.2018 in respect of the claim of the writ petitioner for conversion of commercial tariff as domestic tariff is under challenge in the present writ petition.

(2.) The learned counsel for the writ petitioner submits that initially the property in question was leased out to the Government office and a commercial tariff was being paid by the tenants. Now, the commercial occupation was vacated and the writ petitioner has occupied the premises and using it as a residential premises. In view of the fact that the writ petitioner is in occupation and the family is residing in the premises, an application was made to the respondents for conversion of tariff from commercial to domestic. However, the said application submitted by the writ petitioner has been rejected on the ground that the petitioner has to obtain no objection from the other legal heirs.

(3.) The learned counsel for the petitioner states that a suit for Partition is pending before the competent Civil Court of law and the other legal heirs may not give consent to the writ petitioner for conversion of tariff from commercial to domestic and in the event of non-conversion, the interest of the writ petitioner would be prejudiced and she will be forced to pay the commercial tariff unnecessarily despite the fact that she is using only domestic service connection.