VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court has pulled up electricity officials for causing hardship to consumers seeking new power connections and directed the State government to streamline the system across all distribution companies (DISCOMs).
Justice Kuncham Maheswara Rao said electricity has become an essential part of everyday life and held that access to power forms an integral part of the right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.
Permanently rejecting an application without assigning reasons is illegal and contrary to the principles of natural justice, the court observed.
The court directed the government to ensure that all DISCOMs submit comprehensive reports every three months detailing the date of each service-connection application, the time taken for processing and the final decision.
The government was asked to review the reports and issue appropriate guidelines based on ground-level requirements.
The directions came while hearing a petition by Kadagala Srinivasa Rao of Parampeta in Srikakulam district.
He had applied for a Category-2 connection after obtaining the required NOC and paying the prescribed fee.
Though officials later arrived with a meter, they left without providing the connection following alleged intervention by locals. His application was subsequently shown online as permanently rejected without reasons. The High Court quashed the Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited (APEPDCL) Chairman’s rejection proceedings and directed authorities to reconsider Srinivasa Rao’s application and take a decision within two weeks in accordance with law.