SUPERINTENDING ENGINEER Vs. DARSHAN SINGH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This order will dispose of two appeals i. e. Appeal No.510 of 1996 and 511 of 1996 filed before this Commission challenging the orders of the District Forum, Amritsar dated 21.6.1996 and 19.6.1996 respectively, vide which the District Forum, Amritsar has allowed the complaint No.319 of 1993 filed by one Darshan Singh and complaint No.11 of 1994 filed by one Gurbax Singh. As the common question of law is involved in both the cases, hence they are being disposed of by this one order of ours.

(2.) Darshan Singh, complainant filed the complaint that one buffalo owned by him got electrocuted and died due to the fall of high voltage feeder wire of 11000 Volt in the area of village Gillwali. Gurbax Singh filed the complaint that his two buffaloes while grazing in the fields were electrocuted when high voltage feeder wire broke and fell down in the area of Kotla Sultan Singh.

(3.) Sh. Nirmal Singh, Advocate, learned Counsel for the appellant-Punjab State Electricity Board in both the appeals contended that the complainants are not consumers and hence the learned District Forum committed an error of jurisdiction by allowing the complaints filed by them. To buttress his contention, the learned Counsel relied upon, Shankar Sitaram Jadhav V/s. Maharashtra State Electricity Board, 1994 3 CPJ 50 and 1996, " H. S. E. B. V/s. Ganga Devi. ", 1996 3 CPJ 182