BISWANANTH MUKHERJEE VILLAGE KOTSILA BAZAR P O JIUDARU Vs. WEST BENGAL STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD DIVISIONAL ENGINEER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This revision petition challenges the order dated 28.12.2005 of the West Bengal State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Kolkata (in short, 'the State Commission') in Appeal no. 648/A/ 2002. By this order, the State Commission allowed the appeal of the respondent/opposite party (OP) and set aside the order dated 12.09.2002 of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Purulia (in short, 'the District Forum').

(2.) The petitioner was the complainant before the District Forum with the allegation that he had been billed excessively for the electricity supplied to his premises (Husking Mill) on the ground that the electricity meter was running about 50% slow and the seal of the meter appeared to have been tampered with ("Duplicate"). The main contention of the petitioner/complainant was that the respondent/OP did not follow the relevant statutory provisions of the Indian Electricity Act, 1910 regarding testing of the meter with prior notice to the consumer and, therefore, supplementary bills raised by the respondent/OP were illegal.

(3.) On consideration of the pleadings, evidence and documents, the District Forum allowed the complaint, quashing the demands in the supplementary bills and awarding a compensation of Rs.10,000/-to be paid by OPs to the complainant within sixty days.