Govt, discom gets HC notice over power bills

The issue of inflated power bills and faulty electric meters that had triggered massive protests reached the Delhi High Court on Wednesday.

The issue of inflated power bills and faulty electric meters that had triggered massive protests reached the Delhi High Court on Wednesday.

HT Image

Admitting a public interest litigation that wants compensation for consumers who have got inflated bills, the court issued notices to the Delhi government, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, BSES Yamuna Power Ltd and the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission.

A bench of Chief Justice D Murugesan and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw sought their replies by January 23, 2013.

Petitioner Sugriva Dubey, a lawyer, sought directions to the Delhi government to issue guidelines to determine power tariff through a bidding process.

“Issue directions to respondents to issue guidelines under section 63 of the Electricity Act for determination of tariff by a bidding process in the interest of justice,” the PIL said.

The petitioner requested the court to direct the government and the discom to “stop the recovery of incorrect bills issued to the consumers”. Dubey alleged in the petition that BSES Yamuna was issuing incorrect bills and people were compelled to deposit the inflated amount failing which power was being disconnected.

The meters installed by the company are very fast and are giving unreasonable and incorrect readings, the plea said, adding the company issues bills “without verifying the defective meters” and also “without replacing the fast meters”.