Social worker moves HC against ‘exorbitant’ power bills

Nagpur: Peeved over “exorbitant” power bills received after easing of lockdown, a social worker knocked Nagpur bench of Bombay high court’s doors, praying for directives to respondents, including the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), to send corrected bills.
A division bench comprising justices Sunil Shukre and Nitin Suryawanshi issued notices to the respondents, including the secretary of the state department of energy, asking them to reply within two weeks. The MSEDCL chief engineer in Mumbai, executive engineer in Katol and its sub-division at Mahdibagh in the city, are other respondents in the PIL.
Petitioner Janardhan Moon, through counsel Ashwin Ingole submitted a bill of Rs18,720 which was issued by the MSEDCL office at Mahdibagh in his wife’s name.
When he calculated the bill as per the slab rates fixed by the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC), it was revealed that an excess amount of Rs3,529 was charged by the MSEDCL.
His wife lodged a complaint and demanded the corrected bill as per the MERC slab rates, on which no progress has been made till date.
According to the 71-year-old petitioner, about 2.30 crore people used MSEDCL power in the state, but majority of them are unaware of the slab rates fixed by the regulatory body. Taking undue benefit of this, the respondents have sent such “illegal” bills to the consumers, charging them excessively, Moon argued.
He pointed out that despite a slew of complaints, citizens were not extended any benefit, and were told to pay the bills in instalments. Moreover, they were assured by the respondents of just 2% benefit.
“There is public outcry against the respondents for levying exorbitant bills, yet the MSEDCL is forcing the aggrieved consumers to pay the bills without granting any benefit to them on slab rates. Various consumer organizations have also staged agitations across the state against the respondents,” Moon contended.
The petitioner prayed for directives to the respondents for issuing properly calculated bills to the consumers in the entire state by levying lower tariff as per the MERC guidelines, and passing benefits to them. He also requested that the MSEDCL should be restrained from taking any coercive action against any consumer, till the time it comes out with corrected bills.