MADHU MALTELSH RANGARAO JOSHI Vs. EXECUTIVE ENGINEER KPTCL

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The complainants have filed this complaint for a direction to the opposite parties (for short, the "o. Ps.) to pay compensation of Rs.5,72,500 with interest at 24% per annum.

(2.) The facts in this case are as follows : the complainants are the owners of the premises bearing No.106, Manjunatha Screen Printers, High School Road, Haveri. In the said premises, they have been running a Printing Press with the help of electricity. The Electricity Meters bears RR MP No.217. The supply of electricity to the premises of the complainant was disconnected by the O. Ps. on 13.8.2000. According to the O. Ps. the disconnection is not on 13.8.2000 and it is on 14.8.2000 for non-payment of arrears in respect of another Electricity Meter bearing AEH No.114. Challenging this disconnection, the first complainant approached the High Court of Karnataka by filing a Writ Petition in W. P. No.137/2002. The said Writ Petition was disposed of by the High Court of Karnataka by an order dated 5.2.2002 directing the O. Ps. to restore the electricity supply. Pursuant to the said direction, we are told that the O. Ps. have restored supply of electricity to the premises of the complainants on 22.2.2002.

(3.) The case of the complainants is that the disconnection of supply of electricity by the O. Ps. is illegal, as no notice was issued to the complainants before disconnecting the supply of electricity and due to this disconnection, the complainants were made to suffer substantial injury as they were prevented from running the Printing Press, which is their only source of living, for about 18 months.