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Judgment
AFTER hearing both sides we are clearly of the view that the State Commission has acted wholly without jurisdiction in purporting to quash the bill issued by the Telephone Department for Rs 1535/- when there was absolutely no material before it to show that the said bill was defective in any respect. The award of Rs. 7000/- as compensation to the Complainant was also totally unjustified and manifestly arbitrary.
HAVING regard to all the facts and circumstances of the case we consider that the interests of justice would be adequately met if a direction is issued to the Telephone Department to reconnect the telephone of the Complainant on his paying the sum of Rs. 1535/- to the Department within a period of one month from today. The reconnection shall be made within 7 days of the payment of the said amount of Rs. 1535/--In the special circumstances of the case the Telephone Department is directed not to levy any rental charges from the Complainant for the period during which the Telephone had been under disconnection as we are not satisfied that the bill for Rs. 1535/- had been duly served on the subscriber. No reconnection fee shall also be charged from the Complainant. These directions will be in substitution of the orders passed by the State Commission and the District Forum which will stand hereby set aside. No costs.