Hyderabad High Court grants relief to Telangana, Andhra Discoms

The High Court has granted relief to the power distribution companies in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh by setting aside the order.

HYDERABAD: The High Court has granted relief to the power distribution companies in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh by setting aside the order of a single judge to the two Discoms to install prepaid meters at the premises of all the HT consumers in six months.

A division bench, comprising acting chief justice Dilip b Bhosale and justice P Naveen Rao, allowed the appeals moved by the Discoms of the two states challenging the single judge's order.

Several HT consumers had earlier moved the High Court challenging Discoms' demand for  payment of additional consumption deposit without installation of prepaid meters.

Directing the companies to install prepaid meters within six months, the judge ruled that the Electricity Act, 2003 gave powers to the distribution licensee to demand reasonable security for the electricity supplied to the consumer.

But, if the consumer is prepared to take the supply through a pre-paid meter, the distribution licensee cannot demand security.

They said shortage of stock in the market is the only reason for non-supply of the meters to the consumers and there were no  other reasons for it and urged the bench to set aside the order of the single judge.

Considering the pleas of appellants, the bench set aside the order.

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The New Indian Express
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