CONSUMERS ASSISTANCE And WELFARE CENTRE vs A.P. State Electricity Board

-AN affidavit has been filed by one Shri D. V. Laxmi Narayana, claiming to be the Vice-President of the Consumer Assistance & Welfare Centre, Guntur stating that since the complainant does not have sufficient funds either to engage an Advocate or to depute an authorized representative to go over to Delhi to appear before this Commission, the records of the case may be perused by this Commission and the petition decided on the merits. The appears through their Advocates and they have been heard.

AFTER going through the records of the case, we find that the allegations contained in the Petition are absolutely general in nature and on the basis of those averments there is no scope for granting the complainant any of the reliefs specified in Section 14 of the Consumer Protection Act. The Chairman of the Andhra Pradesh State Electricity Board would, however, do well to examine whether there is any truth in the grievance put forward by the complainant that the meters which are being used in Gunter are mostly defective.

Counsel for the Opposite Party drew our attention to the averments contained in the counter affidavit that the A.P.S.E.B. is nowadays using good quality meters having I.S.I, certification marks. While this may be so, when meters are newly installed by the Board It is quite possible that in respect of the old connections which have been in existence for long, the meters installed in the premises of the consumers may in some cases be defective. In such cases, whenever any complaint of defects in the meters is made to its officers, it is the duty of the A.P.S.E.B, to take prompt steps to have the meters in question checked and if found defective to have them replaced by new meters having I.S.I, certification.

THOUGH we are not granting any relief to the complainant on the basis of this petition, we expect that the grievances put forward in the petition will be duly examined by the Chairman and Senior Officers of the A.P.S.E.B. and necessary steps will be expeditiously taken to ensure that the defects, if any, are expeditiously rectified. Subject to the above observations, the Original Petition is dismissed. No costs. O.P. dismissed.