Sadiqul Alam Hazarika v. The State of Assam and 4 Ors

ORDER

29.11.2024

Heard Mr. R. Borpujari, learned counsel for the petitioner, who submits that the petitioner had installed sub meters in his "Hotel Grand Palace" located at B.G. Road, Jorhat, Assam. The grievance of the petitioner is that there is a Page No.# 3/3 mismatch in the reading of the main electricity meter of Hotel Grand Palace, vis-a-vis, the sub meters that has been installed therein. He submits that despite various representations to the authorities for verifying the mismatch of the electricity meter readings, the respondents have not acted upon the petitioner's applications till date.

¶2Mr. K.P. Pathak, learned counsel for the APDCL, on the other hand, submits that in respect of matters relating to complaints regarding meter readings and electricity bills, there is an efficacious alternative remedy available, in terms of the Assam Electricity Regulatory Commission (Redressal of Consumer Grievances) Regulations, 2022 (hereinafter referred to as the '2022 Regulations'). He submits that in terms of the above Regulations, the petitioner can approach the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF) with regard to his grievance and the same would be decided by the concerned authority.

¶3In view of the fact that there is an efficacious alternative remedy available in terms of the 2022 Regulations, this Court is of the view that the petitioner should approach the concerned CGRF, who should thereafter look into the petitioner's grievances at the earliest.

¶4The writ petition is accordingly disposed of.

JUDGE Comparing Assistant

PageoNo.#o1/3 GAHC010248352024 ooooooo 2024:GAU-AS:11859 ooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooTHEoGAUHATIoHIGHoCOURTo (HIGHoCOURToOFoASSAM,oNAGALAND,oMIZORAMoANDoARUNACHALoPRADESH)o CaseoNo.o:oWP(C)/6293/2024o SADIQULoALAMoHAZARIKAo SONoOFoLATEoSAMSULoALAMoHAZARIKA,o RESIDENToOFoFLAToNO.301,o LUIToAPARTMENT,oISLAMPUR,o P.O.-oULUBARI,oP.S.-oPALTANBAZAR,o DISTRICT-oKAMRUP(METRO),oASSAM. VERSUSo THEoSTATEoOFoASSAMoANDo4oORS.o REPRESENTEDoBYoTHEoPRINCIPALoSECRETARYoTOoTHEoGOVT.oOFoASSAM,o POWERo(ELECTRICITY)oDEPARTMENT,o DISPUR,oGUWAHATI-o781006,o DISTRICT-oKAMRUP(METRO),oASSAM. 2:ASSAMoPOWERoDISTRIBUTIONoCOMPANYoLIMITEDo(APDCL) o4THoFLOOR oBIJULEEoBHAWAN o PALTANBAZAR oGUWAHATI-1 o DISTRICT-oKAMRUP(METRO) oASSAM o REPRESENTEDoBYoITSoCHAIRMAN. 3:THEoMANAGINGoDIRECTOR oASSAMoPOWERoDISTRIBUTIONoCOMPANYoLIMITEDo(APDCL) o4THoFLOOR oBIJULEEoBHAWAN o Page No.# 2/3 PALTANBAZAR GUWAHATI-1 DISTRICT- KAMRUP(METRO) ASSAM. 4:THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER ASSAM POWER DISTRIBUTION COMPANY LIMITED (APDCL) JORHAT ELECTRICAL CIRCLE BIDYUT BHAWAN NA ALI JORHAT- 785001 DISTRICT- JORHAT ASSAM. 5:THE AREA MANAGER ASSAM POWER DISTRIBUTION COMPANY LIMITED (APDCL) JORHAT ELECTRICAL CIRCLE BIDYUT BHAWAN NA ALI JORHAT- 785001 DISTRICT- JORHAT ASSAM Advocate for the Petitioner : MR. R BORPUJARI, MRS DIPANJALI BORPUJARI Advocate for the Respondent : SC, APDCL, BEFORE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE MICHAEL ZOTHANKHUMA