Mrs Umme Slama v. The Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company Limited

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 17TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE SMT. JUSTICE LALITHA KANNEGANTI WRIT PETITION NO. 15126 OF 2026 (GM-KEB) BETWEEN:

MRS. UMME SLAMA AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, W/O SYED SHAFIQ AHMED, R/AT NO.7, 4TH CROSS, KUSHAL NAGAR, KG HALLI, HANIFIA MOSQUE ROAD, BENGALURU NORTH, BENGALURU ARABIC COLLEGE, 2ND MAIN, ANJANAPPA BLOCK, BENGALURU-560 045 …PETITIONER (BY SRI. SHAHIDA KHANAM J., ADVOCATE)

AND:

¶1THE BENGALURU ELECTRICITY SUPPLY COMPANY LIMITED A COMPANY REGISTERED UNDER THE COMPANY ACT, OWNED BY GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA REP. BY THE MANAGING DIRECTOR K.R. CIRCLE BENGALURU-560 001

¶2THE ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE ENGINEER ELE (C.O AND M) E9SUB DIVISION NAGAWARA HBR LAYOUT OUTER RING ROAD BENGALURU-560045

Digitally signed by SUVARNA T Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

¶3THE SUPERINTENDING ENGINEER (ELE), BANGALORE EAST CIRCLE BESCOM, HRBR LAYOUT 2ND BLOCK, KALYAN NAGA, BANASAWADI BENGALURU-560 043

¶4MR. MOHAMMED NAZEERUDDIN S/O MOHAMMED NOORUDDIN AGED ABOUT 57 YEARS, R/AT NO.7, 1ST MAIN, 3RD CROSS, 2ND STAGE GANDHI NAGAR, KG HALLI, BENGALURU-560042 MOBILE NO.9880667979 …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT.LEEVA P DEVADIGA, ADVOCATE FOR R2 SRI.C.CHANNEGPWDA, ADVOCATE FOR R1 AND R3 NOTICE TO R4 IS DISPENSED WITH V/O/D:25.06.2026)

THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT IN THE NATURE OF MANDAMUS OR ANY OTHER APPROPRIATE WRIT, ORDER, OR DIRECTION DIRECTING THE RESPONDENT NO.1 TO 3 TO FORTHWITH RESTORE/RECONNECT THE TEMPORARY ELECTRICITY SUPPLY CONNECTION TO THE PETITIONERS PROPERTY PURSUANT TO THE SANCTION ACCORDED VIDE LETTER DATED 06.12.2025 VIDE ANNEXURE-E.

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN 'B' GROUP, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE SMT. JUSTICE LALITHA KANNEGANTI

ORAL ORDER

The present writ petition is filed seeking the following prayer: "PRAYER WHEREFORE the Petitioner prays that this Hon'ble Court be pleased to issue appropriate writ or order by granting the following reliefs: A. Issue a writ in the nature of Mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order, or direction directing the Respondent No.1 to 3 to forthwith restore/reconnect the temporary electricity supply connection to the Petitioner's property pursuant to the sanction accorded vide letter dated 06.12.2025 Vide "Annexure-E". B. Issue a writ in the nature of Certiorari or any other appropriate writ, order, or direction quashing the illegal action of the Respondent No.1 to in disconnecting the temporary electricity supply connection provided to the Petitioner in respect of the property bearing Site No. 84, formed in Sy.No.30, Khata No.1375/2025, situated at Kadugondanahalli Village, Kasaba Hobli, Bengaluru North Taluk, presently bearing No.2, Basavalingappa Nagar, Kadugondanahalli, Bengaluru Reply letter dated 04/05/2026 issued by respondent No.2 Vide "Annexure-K". C. Declare that the action of the Respondents in disconnecting the temporary electricity supply connection without issuing notice or affording an opportunity of hearing to the Petitioner is arbitrary, illegal, violative of principles of natural justice, and unconstitutional; D. Grant such other reliefs as this Hon'ble Court deems fit and proper in the facts and circumstances of the case, including costs of this Writ Petition, in the interest of justice and equity."

¶2It is the case of the petitioner that she purchased the property by virtue of a sale deed dated 22.08.2025. Thereafter,

she intended to construct a house and made an application dated 28.11.2025 before respondent No.1 for a temporary power supply connection. Based on that application, respondent No.1 accorded sanction vide letter dated 06.12.2025, and accordingly, on 09.12.2025, the meter for the temporary power supply was installed on the petitioner's property. Respondent No.2 issued a letter dated 11.12.2025 to the petitioner requesting additional documents, and the petitioner submitted all property documents vide reply letter dated 18.12.2025. It is stated that on 02.02.2026, respondent No.1 disconnected the temporary power supply connection without giving any notice, any reasoning, or any documents to the petitioner. On

20.02.2026, the petitioner visited the respondents, and they informed the petitioner that they would intimate once the legal opinion from the legal department was received. The petitioner waited for the same but did not receive any information from the respondents. Aggrieved thereby, the petitioner is before this Court.

¶3Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that the action of the respondents is high handed, contrary to law, and against the principles of natural justice.

¶4Learned counsel appearing for respondent No. 2 submits that there are disputes between respondent No. 4 and the petitioner. Both claim ownership of the property. Respondent No. 4 has filed a complaint, they obtained a legal opinion, and also documents of the petitioner, thereafter, they disconnected the power supply. Learned counsel for the respondents does not dispute the fact that no orders have been passed subsequent to the reply submitted by the petitioner.

¶5Notice to respondent No.4 is dispensed with vide order dated 25.06.2026.

¶6Having heard the learned counsel on either side, perused the entire material on record. The respondents, based on the documents, have issued a temporary power connection. Someone else then comes before the respondents and claims to be the owner of the property and disputes the petitioner's title. The respondents have issued notice to the petitioner, and the

petitioner has submitted a reply. Once a reply is received, the respondents are duty-bound to pass an order on the merits of the matter. But they cannot, as per their own whims and fancies or based on a legal opinion, without following the principles of natural justice, disconnect the power supply in such a high-handed manner. In those circumstances, this Court is passing the following order:

ORDER i. The respondent Nos.1 to 3 are directed to forthwith restore the power supply to the petitioner.

ii. It is left open to the respondents to act in accordance with law.

iii. Accordingly, the writ petition is allowed.

iv. All I.As. in this petition shall stand closed.

SD/- (LALITHA KANNEGANTI) JUDGE

MEG List No.: 1 Sl No.: 65