Punjab

Faridkot

CC/17/330

Sham Sundar - Complainant(s)

Versus

PSPCL - Opp.Party(s)

Amit Mittal

04 Feb 2019

ORDER

DISTRICT CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL FORUM, FARIDKOT

 

                                                                Complaint No :      330 of 2017

    Date of Institution :     4.10.2017

    Date of Decision :       4.02.2019

 

Sham Sunder aged about 60 years son of Kishan Chand resident of Old Cantt Road, Opposite Petrol Pump, Faridkot, Tehsil  and District Faridkot.

                                                             ...Complainant

Versus

1. Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd., through its Chairman cum Managing Director, The Mall, Patiala.
2. S.D.O, PSPCL, Faridkot.                                   

   .........Ops

Complaint under Section 12 of the

Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

 

Quorum:   Sh. Ajit Aggarwal, President,

                Smt. Parampal Kaur, Member,

 

Present: Sh Amit Mittal, Ld Counsel for complainant,

   Sh Mohan Singh Brar, Ld Counsel for OPs.

 

ORDER

 (Ajit Aggarwal, President)

                                           Complainant has filed the present complaint under Section 12 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 against Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd etc/Ops seeking directions to Ops to

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withdraw the bill dt 18.07.2017 for Rs.2,57,960/-  and to pay Rs.1,00,000/-as compensation for harassment and mental agony suffered by complainant and Rs.30,000/-as litigation expenses to complainant.

2                                           Briefly stated, the case of the complainant is that he is having electric connection bearing a/c no. 3000509024 and he is paying all the bills regularly as and when received and nothing is due towards him. It is contended that complainant received a bill dt 17.08.2016 for Rs.2,22,645/-, and on moving the application before OPs, they corrected the same. Now, again he has received a bill dated 18.07.2017 for Rs.2,57,960/- for 16 days, which is highly excessive and illegal. On receiving the same, complainant approached Ops and requested them to withdraw the said bill, but they refused to pay any heed to his requests and even threatened him to disconnect his electric connection, if he fails to pay the entire amount within time. Despite repeated requests made by complainant to withdraw the said bill, Ops did not listen him. All this amounts to deficiency in service on the part of OPs and this act and conduct of Ops has caused loss, harassment and mental tension to complainant for which he has prayed for seeking directions to Ops to pay Rs one lac as compensation for harassment and mental agony suffered by him alongwith Rs.30,000/-as litigation expenses besides main relief. Hence, this complaint.

3                                                   Counsel for complainant was heard with regard to admission of the complaint and vide order dt 9.10.2017,

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complaint was admitted and notice was ordered to be issued to the opposite parties.

4                                                   On receipt of the notice, the opposite parties filed written statement wherein they admitted that connection in question is installed at the premises of complainant and he has been making payment as per assessment made and demanded by them. Ld Counsel for OPs admitted before the Forum that bill in question was sent by them due to clerical mistake. It is averred that wrong bill was issued to complainant and therefore, account of complainant was overhauled and after that correct bill dated 8.12.2017 for Rs.11,471/-was issued to him after making all the adjustments. It is further averred that there is no deficiency in service on the part of OPs as impugned bill has already been withdrawn by them and after overhauling the meter of complainant, correct bill with complete rectification and adjustments issued to complainant on 8.12.2017 for Rs.11,471/-.  It is further averred that complainant is not entitled for any compensation as sought by him. All the other allegations and allegation with regard to relief sought too were refuted with a prayer that complaint deserves to be dismissed with costs.

5                                               Parties were given proper opportunities to produce evidence to prove their respective case. Counsel for complainant tendered in evidence affidavit of complainant Ex.C-1 and documents Ex C-2  to 8 and closed the same.

 

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6                               OPs did not produce evidence. However, during the course of proceedings it is observed that grievance of complainant has already been redressed by OPs. Main contention of complainant was that Ops issued him bill dated 18.07.2017 for Rs.2,57,960/- which was highly excessive. Complainant has been making payment of his power consumption charges regularly without any delay and nothing is due towards him on account of consumption charges. Issuance of bill dated 18.07.2017 for huge amount of Rs.2,57,960/- caused great harassment and mental agony to complainant for which he indulged in present litigation and prayed for relief sought by him. However, in written statement filed by OPs, they themselves admitted before the Forum that bill in question was issued by them but averred that said bill was wrongly issued to complainant due to some clerical mistake. On realization of their mistake, they overhauled the account of complainant and after making appropriate adjustments, have sent correct bill dated 8.12.2017 to complainant for Rs.11,471/-, which is charged as per consumption of power. In our considered opinion, it is made out that due to some clerical mistake wrong bill was issued by OPs to complainant, which complainant challenged through this complaint. Meanwhile, on realizing their fault, OPs have already corrected the same and issued fresh bill with appropriate adjustments to complainant and thus, grievance of complainant has already been redressed by OPs. It is concluded that there is no dispute between the parties as grievance of complainant has already been redressed. Therefore, complaint in hand is

cc no. 330 of 2017

hereby disposed off. However, OPs are directed to take proper care in future while issuing any bill to consumers. Copy of the order be supplied to parties free of costs. File be consigned to record room.

Announced in Open Forum

Dated : 4.02.2019

 

(Parampal Kaur)                         (Ajit Aggarwal)           Member                                 President