HP High Court Orders Disconnection of Consumer’s Electricity Supply for Obstructing Service Line to Neighbouring Applicants





 The High Court of HP  has ordered disconnection of the electricity supply of the person who obstructs in laying electricity service line  on his land.  Justice Vivek Singh Thakur held as under:

    "It is duty of distribution licensee to provide connection to every eligible applicant by taking necessary     steps for which  respondents are empowered. in present case  finding petitioner entitled for connection,     a demand notice has been issued and in sequel thereto, petitioner had deposited the amount in July, 2019, but it appears that influenced by extraneous considerations, electricity connection to  the petitioner has not been provided. otherwise also, a person enjoying benefit of electricity connection from a line laid on  government or private land belonging to others, cannot be permitted to create hinderance to the electricity connection, to be provided to his neighbour, by raising objection for laying of electricity line or service wire through his building or land without any justifiable reason. electricity connection of such person deserves to be disconnected."

the  judgment of the High Court is pathbreaking as there are numbers of incidents where obstruction  in providing electricity to neighbour  are  being reported.  in this case, the electricity Board had issued service connection order (SCO) to the applicant after completion of all codal formalities as required under the HP Electricity Supply Code, 2009 but was prevented to release the supply due to consistent protest of the neighbour  of the applicant, with whom inimical relations were noticed.  the Court rightly observed that  the enjoyment of the electricity connection by the person who obstruct in laying service line above its land  cannot be continued in asmuch as that said electricity line has also laid in other persons private land or government land. as such at the first instance, if any situation arises, electricity Board shall disconnect the electricity supply of those who put hindrance in release of electricity supply to other applicant.

Case title: Leela Devi versus HP Electricity Board Limited and others CWP  No. 1194 of 2021 decided on 5.5.2021.

please download the judgment:

https://highcourt.hp.gov.in/viewojpdf/view.php?path=2021&nc=2021:HHC:4046&fname=200100011492021_6.pdf&smflag=N

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