MAHA SINGH SHERAWAT Vs. SDO ELECTRICITY DEPARTMENT

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Feeling aggrieved against judgment and order dated 1.7.2004 passed by District Consumer Redressal Forum-I, U. T. , Chandigarh (for short hereinafter to be referred as District Forum) in Complaint Case No.60 of 2004, the complainant Shri Maha Singh Sherawat has filed this appeal.

(2.) After the service of the notice on the respondents, Mr. K. C. Sahu, Govt. Pleader appeared for respondent No.1-S. D. O. (Electricity ). Respondent No.2 put in appearance through Mr. Jasbir Singh Kataria, Advocate but at the time of hearing of the appeal, none was present on behalf of respondent No.1.

(3.) After hearing the learned Counsel for the appellant and Mr. K. C. Sahu, Govt. Pleader and perusing the averments made in the complaint case, we find that the appellant/complainant does not fall in the definition of 'consumer' as provided in Sec.2 (1) (d) (ii) of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 . It is not disputed that the electric connection provided to House No.183-A, Shivalik Enclave, NAC Manimajra, U. T. , Chandigarh was taken by respondent No.2 Shri Jasbir Singh Kataria who had been using the electric energy through the said electric meter. The house aforesaid was purchased by the appellant from the respondent No.2 vide sale-deed dated 17.5.2002. After the purchase of the house, the appellant received a bill dated 3.2.2003 amounting to Rs.25,948/- for the period from 10.7.1998 to 10.7.2002. The appellant got possession of the house aforesaid from the respondent No.2 after the execution of the sale-deed and since then he had been paying the electricity bill regularly. The appellant denied his liability to pay arrears shown in the disputed bill, which related to the period prior to the sale of the said house.