SUJATA AGARWAL Vs. JHARKHAND STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard.

(2.) The grievance of the petitioner is that without any prior notice to the petitioner, the respondents have illegally converted the electric connection of the petitioner at his residential premises from domestic category to commercial category and there by have raised the bills as contained in Annexure 6 to the writ application on the basis of an inspection report which was not supplied to the petitioner.

(3.) In the case of Bihar State Electricity Board v. M/s. Sri Bir Ispat, reported in 1999 (1) Pat LJR 466, it has been held that the rules of natural justice are applicable to the administrative decisions also unless expressly or by necessary implication they are excluded. It has been further held in the aforesaid decision that prior to raising of the bills, in respect of the report, it is incumbent upon the Board to supply a copy of the same as well as the fresh bill to the petitioner and then the notice should have been issued prior to raising of such a bill.