PUNJAB STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD Vs. SHINGARA SINGH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) It is an appeal against the order dated 20.2.2003 of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Amritsar (hereinafter called the District Forum ).

(2.) Admitted facts of the case are that the respondent-complainant (hereinafter called the complainant) had applied for temporary tubewell connection which was released in accordance with the rules and after all the formalities were completed. Thereafter the complainant had applied for regularisation and again completed the formalities required under the rules. The appellant-O. Ps. (hereinafter called the O. Ps.) issued demand notice dated 2.1.2002/26.3.2002 calling upon the complainant to deposit an amount of Rs.25,000/-. The complainant went to the office of the O. Ps. to deposit the amount but the officials of the O. Ps. showed him a Circular No.75/2001 which disentitled the complainant for regularisation of the connection. The circular was issued in continuation of Circular No.70/2001 and it reads as under : "the matter regarding regularisation of temporary tubewell connections released during the paddy season of year 2001 has been reviewed and it has been decided to amend Para 1 of ibid circular to read as under : only those AP consumers who have applied on or before 31.7.2001 and have got temporary connections released on or before 31.8.2001 shall be entitled for regularisation of the tubewell connections. "

(3.) The O. Ps. submitted before the District Forum that the complainant applied for temporary connection on 2.8.2001 i. e. not on or before 31.7.2001 and thus he was not entitled to regularisation of the connection. The Counsel for the complainant further submitted that after having issued the demand notice to the complainant the O. Ps. could not wriggle out of the commitment and were bound to release the tubewell connection to the complainant.