GYANENDRA JHA Vs. S D O TELEPHONES

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Complainant is the appellant who has preferred the appeal against the order dated 6.2.1997 passed by District Forum, Motihari in Complaint Case No.105/95 with a prayer to raise the amount of compensation and cost of litigation awarded in his favour by the District Forum.

(2.) The brief fact of the case is that complainant is a dealer of LPG in the name and style of Indu Verma Gas Agency at Dhaka, East Champaran. He has a telephone connection No.31028 subsequently changed to 82354. The complainant was receiving irregular telephone bill though he was paying regularly when received. The complainant has received bill which was payable by 5.6.1995 on 12.7.1995 and he paid the amount on 19.7.1995 but in the meantime his line was disconnected on 16.6.1995. The complainant made protest before the authorities but his line was not restored. Thereafter he filed the case before the District Forum claiming a compensation of Rs.50,000/- against the respondent-Telephone Department and cost for litigation. The contention of the complainant was that due to disconnection of the telephone line illegally he had to suffer economic loss in his business besides mental and physical harassment.

(3.) The Telephone Department appeared and its contention was that before disconnection of the line complainant was informed on 4.7.1995 and 5.7.1995 on telephone but he did not pay the bill, hence the line was disconnected on 16.6.1995 for non-payment.