HC seeks response of Centre, Delhi govt and discom on plea seeking power connections for Pak migrants

The petition sough electricity connection for 200 Hindu migrants families, comprising almost 800 persons, who are currently living in Delhi Jal Board Maidan in North Delhi’s Adarsh Nagar area.

The Delhi high court on Tuesday sought the response of the Centre, Delhi government and Tata Power on a plea seeking electricity connection for nearly 800 Hindu migrants from Pakistan residing in north Delhi.

The discom has said that Aadhaar can only be used as identity proof and not as proof of occupancy of the premises. (Picture for representation only)

A bench of chief justice DN Patel and justice Jyoti Singh issued notices to the ministries of home affairs and defence, Delhi government, North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NrDMC), Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC), Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd (TPDDL), and district magistrate of North Delhi and asked them to file reply to the petition.

The petition sough electricity connection for 200 Hindu migrants families, comprising almost 800 persons, who are currently living in Delhi Jal Board Maidan in North Delhi’s Adarsh Nagar area.

Petitioner Hariom, who works for the welfare of “minority migrants” from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to India, said in the present case, the migrants are from Pakistan, mostly from Sindh province, and are living here without electricity for the past few years.

“Migrants who have come to India from Pakistan on account of religious persecution believed that coming to India will give their children a bright and safe future but their present existence without electricity in the slums has shattered all their dreams of a meaningful existence,” he said in his plea.

“During the pandemic, when all schools went online, there is no electricity in the jhuggis (slums) and the future of their children is in the dark,” the plea said further.

The petitioner said he has approached various government authorities but could not succeed in getting electricity for migrants and some of them even applied to TPDDL, which refused on the grounds a valid ownership proof of the respective address was required.

The plea claimed that most migrants are living on a long-term visa and they have Aadhaar cards in those addresses as well, consequently proving their occupancy of said address.

However, as per the discom, Aadhaar can only be used as identity proof and not as proof of occupancy of the premises, it said.

The plea sought directions for providing electricity to the migrants on the basis of their Aadhaar cards, long-term visas and passports under the DERC (Supply Code and Performance Standards) Regulations, 2017, and to also include these documents as identity proof and Aadhaar card as proof of occupancy.

The court listed the matter for further hearing to October 22.