TMI Blog2010 (7) TMI 876X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... w petition preferred by the Punjab and Haryana State Electricity Board (for short Electricity Board ) against the Order dated 16th August, 2005. One Ashwani Kumar, respondent herein had filed a complaint before the District Forum alleging that the electric meter bearing No. MS-32/603 was installed in the premises owned and possessed by him in the name of Kartari Devi and Suraj Prakash who had sold the property through Registered Sale deed dated 28th November, 1996 (Ext.C/1) and since the purchase of the property, he has been using the electric meter and connection. On 2nd July, 2002, he had received a Memo from the Electricity Board stating that the said connection had a sanctioned load of 52.49 KW and it was required to be clubbed with electric connection in the name of Janak Raj bearing electric connection No. MS-32/580 with sanction load of 56.79 KW. Reply was submitted by him to the Memo wherein he had stated the above facts. It was further clarified that his property was separate and distinct from property possessed by Sudesh Mahajan and the electric connection in that premises was in the name of Janak Raj. They denied the cross wiring in the property or even that the connect ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... tated, it is a small order and it will be useful to refer to the same at this stage: Heard the Ld. Counsel for the Petitioner. As per the Municipal record, two separate buildings are there. One building admeasuring 554 sq. yards in P-136 owned jointly by Shri Suraj Prakash, Shri Ashwani Kumar, Shri Subhash Chander S/o Shri Tilak Raj and Smt. Raj Rani. Other building admeasuring 504 Sq. Yards is P-136-A owned by the same person. On record there is evidence that Ashwani Kumar is running the business in the name of Ashwani Textiles and he is the proprietor. As against them there is other textile mill known as Mahajan Handloom Industries owned by Shri Sudesh Mahajan. In this state of circumstances order passed by the State Commission cannot be said to be, in any way, erroneous. Hence, these Revision Petitions are dismissed. 3. The legality and correctness of the order passed by the National Commission is challeged in these appeals. At the very outset, we may notice that the electric supply regulations have been framed in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 49 and Sub Section (j) of Section 79 of the Electricity Supply Act, 1948 (for short referred as the Act ) a ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ble partition so that it is not possible to use electricity from one unit to another and in case of one connection having been disconnected due to defaulting amount etc., the same cannot be run from other connection(s) in the adjoining industrial unit(s) by tapping some supply points. xxx xxx xxx 3.5.7 Failure to get Connections Clubbed If a consumer fails to exercise option to get his connections clubbed within the stipulated date or declares that there is only one connection in his premises but later on it is detected that he is having more than one connection in one premises, he shall have to pay higher tariff and surcharge, if applicable w.e.f. 1.1.96. 4. The circular, which has been relied upon by the parties reads as follows: In order to encourage the consumers to opt for clubbing of their loads and also to facilitate a smooth transition, it has been decided that all consumers may be asked to give undertaking for clubbing/conversion of two or more connections in the same premises, wherever existing by 31.1.97. Further action in various situations may be taken as under: (a) Cases where no change of voltage level is involved; The cost of clubbing with regard to ser ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... to defeat the very object of suppressing such a mischief in the consumption of electricity. Therefore, if the Electricity Board finds that such mischief is being played, there is nothing in law preventing the Board from treating it as a clubbed connection and impose such tariff and penalty as is permissible in accordance with law. No consumer can be permitted to defeat the spirit of the regulations and take undue advantage of receiving electric supply through all different meters in the same premises and with an intention to defraud the Electricity Board of its genuine dues for supply of electricity. 6. Having referred to these regulations, now we may revert back to the facts of the present case. The officers of the Electricity Board had conducted inspection of the premises in question and prepared an inspection report. As per the inspection report, there is only one plot being Plot No. 136, Industrial Area-A, Ludhiana and in that Smt. Kartari Devi is stated to be the consumer. She has a sanctioned load of 52.49 KW and the Consumer Account No. was MS-32/603. The other consumer is Shri Janak Raj in the same property having Consumer Account No. MS-32/580 with a sanctioned load of 5 ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... the Forum, which persuaded them to treat these premises as separate. All these documents were prior to the date of inspection and it has been noticed by the Forum that the inspection reports were signed under protest. The reports, which have been placed before us at page Nos. 56 and 59 respectively of the paper book, show that some protest was raised, however, no objections were filed to show what was the protest and what exactly the consumer were objecting to. It, certainly, required a definite finding to be recorded by the Forum. Non-recording of such a finding has prejudicially affected the rights of the parties. 7. The documents (Ext.C1 to Ext.C10), noticed by the State Commission, show that the consumer had advanced the argument of separate properties, separate ownership and separate connections. However, there is no reason recorded as to why the evidence of the Department i.e. the inspection report is incorrect and cannot be relied upon. There is ambiguity. The District Forum, while relying upon the report, had rejected the complaint which was reversed by the State Forum. These are the findings of facts and they must be recorded in a manner which would clearly establish on ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... d before us it will be a serious question to be specifically answered by the Competent Forum, as to whether the premises in question are two distinct and different premises or it is one in the same (i.e. only property No. 136 or 136 and 136-A). If these are two independent premises owned by two different persons who are consumers of the Board in their own capacity and there is no intention on their part to use these connections collectively and have not violated their sanctioned load, the consequences in law will be different. But, if there is intention to use both connections and avoid higher tariff, the consequences will be entirely different in that case. The inspection report is a document prepared in exercise of its official duties by the officers of the Corporation. Once an act is done in accordance with law, the presumption is in favour of such act or document and not against the same. Thus, there was specific onus upon the consumer to rebut by leading proper and cogent evidence that the report prepared by the officers was not correct. As already noticed, no objections were filed to the said report except some protest, that too, without stating as to what was the specifi ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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