GENERAL MANAGER, TELECOM Vs. UDAY GOVIND BARAD

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THIS order seeks to dispose of appeal against order dated 2.11.2007 passed by the District Forum, South Goa, in Complaint No. 12/2002.

(2.) THE Complainant Nos. 1 and 2 are husband and wife respectively, both residents of Borda, Margao, Goa. The opposite Party is the General Manager of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd., and the Department of Telecom, Panaji, Goa, respectively.

(3.) BRIEFLY the case of the Complainants is that they were owners of two telephone lines, an old line being No. 731639 which was installed 25 years back and another new one being No. 706921 which they claim was taken on advise of Opposite Party which was exclusively for use of internet and installed at his premises. The old telephone line being 731639 was officially connected to internet till September 2000 which was later on disconnected on installation of new line. Since September 2000 the Complainants started getting excess telephone bills for both lines which were beyond their use. The Complainant states that because of constant follow -up with the Opposite Party on the aspect of excess billing for old line the Opposite Party had suggested installation of a new and separate line exclusively for internet use which was done by installing telephone No. 706921. The Complainants however states that this was not a solution as now there was excess billing on both lines beyond their use. The Complainants claim that the average billing for old No. averaged Rs. 450 -550 per billing period till August 2000. Suddenly the bills ranged from Rs. 2,004 period (11.7.2001 to 31.7.2001) to Rs. 3594 (period 1.8.2001 to 30.9.2001). So also for the old line the bill was Rs. 3,542 (for period 11.7.2001 to 31.7.2001). The Complainants stated that these exorbitant bills for old telephone line cannot be expected more so, when the old line was disconnected from internet accessing. The Complainants state that their interaction and personal survey with telephone and internet users from Goa made them conclude that this excess billing is a result of faulty technology installed by the Opposite Party thus giving a way out to their departmental personnel for misusing the customer telephone line without their knowledge and loading customers with excess bills even when the telephone facility is not being used. The Complainants thus prayed for: a) Opposite Party return back the excess billed amount for the period September 2000 to date for the old telephone line 731639; and b) Opposite Party should return excess amount collected for the period July 2001 for the new telephone line 706921. Other prayers have not been granted by the District Forum and since the Complainant has not challenged the rejection in appeal, we need not go into them.