Commission divests District Consumer Forums of major power

Fatehabad, Jun 4 (UNI) A recent decision of the Haryana Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission will have a bearing on hundreds of cases related to theft of electricity pending in various District Consumer Forums in the state.

The decision divests the District Consumer Forums of the jurisdiction to try and entertain matters related to electricity theft.

The decision of the Commission, headed by president R C Kathuria, came on Revision Petition No 118 of 2005 case titled Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) Vs Parijat Polythene, Faridabad.

The DHBVN had filed the revision petition against an order of the District Consumer Forum, Faridabad, in which the district forum had ordered the restoration of power supply of the complainant after payment of 30 percent of amount assessed against power theft.

Accepting the revision petition filed by the DHBVN, the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission observed that the District Forums do not have the jurisdiction to entertain cases related to theft of electricity.

The forums do not have the jurisdiction to pass interlocutory orders in such cases, the commission said.

The Nigam has circulated copies of the decision to all its offices and told the officers to present this decision before the consumer forums while defending cases of electricity theft.

UNI XC DP RR BD1915