Electricity act and harassment
Abhishek Mawle
(Querist) 10 August 2012
This query is : Resolved
Andhra Pradesh electricity board officials are harassing us since 6 months. It all started when we had new tenants come to our house who operate an office from the rented premises the lineman told us that we need to install a new commercial electricity meter and if we pay him a bribe of Rs 5,000 he will install a new meter but we refused saying that we already have two meters in our name one commercial meant for office and the other domestic meant for residence. Some days later the local Assistant Engineer came to our house and issued us a notice u/s 126 of electricity act for unauthorised use of domestic electricity for commercial purpose and thereby converted our residential meter to commercial category .We appealed the same with the appellate authority stating the facts that we are using the electricity for authorised purpose since we already have a commercial meter that is supplying the power to the office but the appellate authority who also happens to be an employee of the same board rejected our appeal, subsequently we applied to the local officer to convert our meter back to residential meter category so far we have not received any reply from the office. In the mean time we have received another notice to pay additional consumer deposit for both our meters stating that we are drawing more than the rated load. We feel that we are being punished for not giving a bribe by the vindictive electricity officials. Can we approach human right commission and what is the recourse for us against the electricity officials?
Sudhir Kumar, Advocate
(Expert) 12 August 2012
Vefore refusing to bribe you should have been clear that no law is being violated by you.
You said that new tenant started commercial use of property which means that earlier that part of the premises was registered as domestic.
You hve got anopther notice of overdrawl you have not stated whether it is true or not.
At this stage you cannot prove demand of bribe as all odds are against you and none is going to believe the same.
The matter is too petty of Human Rights Commission.
