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A PIL was filed in the Bombay High Court challenging the “unrealistic” electricity bills charged by the Maharashtra Discoms during the lockdown. In the face of the largest health and financial crisis by the country, the petitioner Mahibub D Sheik, an editor of a local newspaper and also a social worker, contends that such high charges for the electricity use that were seen through the state of Maharashtra. The tariffs imposed are “four to eight times the regular bills expected in the summers” and some even going upto eight and sixteen times the amount.
Maharshtra has been the worst hit state with COVID-19 cases rising every single day. Economic activities have been shaken to the core and the situation does not seem to get any better anytime soon. In light of the lockdown, the State Electricity Distribution Company Limited [MSEDCL] was directed by the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission [MERC] to not conduct any activities which were non-essential, which included meter reading, billing and payment. Consumers were asked to submit their readings based on which bills were generated the consumers average power consumption during the previous 3 months.
There was a reduction in the wheeling charges from Rs. 1.28 to Rs. 1.15 per unit, while Commission was increased to Rs.145 per unit. The charge for the 0-100 units consumption slab was Rs. 3.30 per unit which has now been increased to Rs. 3.36 per unit. Such increases have been seen for all slabs and categories. The surging rates have burnt large holes in the pockets of consumers especially when economy was in the ruins.
According to Section 61of Electricity Act 2003, which specifies guidelines for determining tariff requires the safeguarding of consumer interest while covering costs of electricity in a reasonable manner. The scenario depicts quite the opposite of the same. When these concerns where addressed to the Electricity Providers, responses were not paid attention to or responded with technicalities.
The petitioner prays to the Bombay High Court seeking directions to the Electricity Providers to charge nominal rates and defer the payments received with respect to the hiked tariffs towards the following months until the situation in Maharashtra returns to normalcy.
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