​Consumer court fines MSEDCL, cancels power bill issued after disconnection

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The District Consumer Grievance Redressal Commission in Jalna has pulled up the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) for allegedly harassing a consumer by issuing electricity bills despite the power connection being disconnected for nearly two years.The commission quashed a power bill of Rs 17,270 issued to the complainant and directed MSEDCL to pay Rs 5,000 as compensation for mental and physical distress, along with Rs 5,000 towards litigation costs.According to the complaint, the consumer had settled her final electricity bill on May 17, 2022, and formally requested the disconnection of supply, asking authorities not to issue further bills. MSEDCL, however, generated a bill of Rs 17,270 on April 9, 2024, prompting her to approach the commission through advocate Mahesh Dhannawat.After examining the records, the commission observed that MSEDCL had allegedly issued bills without recording actual meter readings. “As per Section 16.3.6 of Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (Electricity Supply Code, Standards of Conduct of Distribution Licensees and Power Quality) Regulations, 2021, a distribution licensee shall not levy estimated bills for more than two billing cycles at a time and the consumer shall not be allowed to make more than two estimated bills in a financial year. In the present case, it has been proved that MSEDCL has not taken the meter reading of the applicant after May 9, 2022, and has been given average bills,” the consumer court chaired by Aparna Kate with Uday Dalvi and Santosh Nikule as its members, said.“In this case, the bill was issued in clear violation of the 2021 regulations,” the commission said, adding that MSEDCL had wrongly levied penalties, interest, and other charges on the disputed amount.Holding the utility accountable for deficiency in service, the commission ruled in favour of the consumer and ordered compensation and reimbursement of legal expenses.