Comply strictly with building rules when granting power connections: Madras HC to Tangedco

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has allowed Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) to provide electricity connections to low-tension consumers on submission of a property tax receipt.

The first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy also directed the corporation to ensure strict compliance with the Tamil Nadu Combined Building Development Rules, 2019 while granting service connections. As per the rules, a completion certificate is required for all buildings, except residential buildings up to a height of 12 metres.

According to the petitioner, the 2019 Rules specify that service connections such as electricity connections, water connections and sewerage connections should not be provided for the classes of buildings specified in Rule 20 thereof, unless a completion certificate is obtained from the development authority. But, Tangedco on October 6, 2020 issued a memorandum that deviated from the rules and enabled it to grant service connections even without a completion certificate, the petitioner, Coimbatore Consumer Cause, argued.

“The rules are intended to prevent unauthorised constructions, which are subsequently regularised. Under the guise of the memorandum, Tangedco is enabling persons who put up unauthorised constructions to obtain electricity supply connections,” the petitioner said.

Opposing the plea, Tangedco submitted that a draft scheme has been prepared in order to provide electricity supply connections to certain classes of consumers.

The bench passed the directions and disposed of the plea.