(1.) It is an appeal against the order dated 23.1.2003 of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Amritsar (hereinafter called the District Forum ).
(2.) Brief facts stated in the complaint are that the respondent-complainant (hereinafter called the complainant) had applied for temporary electricity connection for tubewell on 25.6.2001 after remitting the requisite fee of Rs.100/- to the appellant-opposite party (hereinafter called the opposite party ). The complainant was granted temporary connection on payment of Rs.4,000/- in lumpsum against a valid receipt of payment. She had applied for permanent connection on 23.10.2001 and had completed all the requisite formalities. The opposite party has not released the permanent electric connection. In the complaint, before the District Forum, a prayer was made that the opposite party be directed to release permanent connection and compensation of Rs.10,000/- be also awarded to the complainant. It was then stated in the complaint that despite completing the formalities, the opposite party had not released the connection. She had gone to the office of the opposite party time and again but no action was taken. According to the complainant, Dalbir Singh son of S. Kundan Singh and Gurdial Singh son of Prem Singh were the persons who had been released the connection in a similar situation. The action of the opposite party, according to the complainant, in not releasing the permanent connection to the complainant amounted to unfair trade practice and deficiency in service.
(3.) Opposite party in its reply admitted that the complainant had applied for a temporary tubewell connection on 25.6.2001 and the same was granted. It was also admitted in the reply that the complainant had applied for permanent tubewell connection on 23.10.2001 after completing all the formalities. It was pleaded in the reply that according to Commercial Circular No.70/01, no permanent tubewell connection could be released to any consumer if the distance of LT line from the place of tubewell is more than 500 metres and in the case in hand, the distance of LT line from the place of tubewell connection was more than 500 metres. It was in these circumstance, that the connection was not released to the complainant. According to the reply, tubewell connection was running in the name of Dalbir Singh and the connection was also granted to Gurdial Singh as the distance of the site of tubewell from LT line is less than 500 metres. A prayer was made that the complaint be dismissed.