BIHAR STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD Vs. JAGANNATH MANDAL

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE present appeal is filed against the order dated 24.7.2003 passed by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Begusarai (hereinafter to be referred to as District Forum) in Consumer Complaint No. 21/1995 wherein it was passed that no electric connection was given to the complainant in February ,1990 and the Electricity Board without taking into consideration the protest filed by the respondent, had been sending bills till 1994 was wrong, therefore, those disputed bills were not payable by the respondent.

(2.) THE brief fact of the case is that the respondent -complainant had applied for electric connection in his premises and after the compliance of necessary formalities, the electrical connection had been given on 10.2.2010 vide consumer No. Bgs 3/2588 D /II. The meter was brought by the respondent and handed over to the appellant Board for installation. As per the complainant -respondent, the electrician of the appellant Board came to the premises but they could not provide electrical connection due to theft of electric wire from the pole and returned with all the electrical materials. They did not connect the electrical connection in spite of several repeated requests by the respondent. Later on, the appellant Board started sending false bills starting from October, 1992 and later on in September, 1993, December, 1993 and lastly in November, 1994 by registered post. Each time, the respondent sent protest letter by registered post to the appellant regularly but in vain. Then the respondent took the shelter of the Consumer Forum by filing complaint No. 21/1995 on 4.4.1995 against issuance of electrical bill to the respondent without providing electrical connection in his premises.

(3.) THE appellants contested the matter in the District Forum and stated that they had provided electrical connection on 10.2.1990 as communicated by the Junior Engineer in the premises of the respondent by installing the meter bearing No. 267385/10 x 20 Amp and as such, respondent is liable to pay the charges as per the tariff rule of the Electricity Board.