HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE C.V.NAGARJUNA REDDY WRIT PETITION No.31474 of 2011 Date: 29.11.2011 Between: M/s Teja Move Max 70 MM A/c Theatre, Suryapet Town, Reptd by its Proprietor Bandaru Dhananjaya ..... Petitioner And: The Central Power Distribution Company Of A.P. Limited, Reptd by its Chairman-cum- Managing Director-Mint Compound, Hyderabad And another. .....Respondents Counsel for the Petitioner: Sri Bommagani Prabhakar Counsel for the Respondents: Sri O.Manohar Reddy, Standing Counsel for APCPDCL The Court made the following: ORDER: This Writ Petition is ﬁled for a Mandamus to set aside letter No.ADE/OP/SRPT/Theft/D.No.235, dated 24.08.2011, of respondent No.2, whereby he has provisionally assessed a sum of Rs.6,46,305/- and directed the petitioner to pay 50% thereof i.e., Rs.3,23,153/- on the ground that the bills were issued to the petitioner for the period from 05.06.2009 to 05.08.2011 by adopting a wrong multiplying factor of 0.25 instead of 0.5. The petitioner pleaded that the very basis for this assessment is wrong. Under Section 42(5) of the Andhra Pradesh Electricity Act, 2003, every distribution licensee shall constitute a grievance redressal forum. Sri O.Manohar Reddy, learned Standing Counsel for APCPDCL, representing the respondents, submitted that such a forum has been constituted by respondent No.1 and the same is functioning. Since the grievance of the petitioner pertains to levy of additional sum on the purported ground of application of wrong multiplying factor, it is appropriate that the petitioner raises its grievance before the grievance redressal forum constituted by respondent No.1, which will be in a better position to appreciate the grievance of the petitioner. Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that there is a threat of disconnection. As the petitioner seriously disputes its liability, in order to balance the interests of both the parties, the respondents are directed not to disconnect the power supply to the petitioner’s Service Connection for non-payment of the amount demanded under the impugned assessment letter, subject to the petitioner paying to the respondents a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- as an adhoc measure within a period of two weeks from today. The petitioner is permitted to raise his grievance before the grievance redressal forum within a period of three weeks from today. If such a grievance petition is received, the grievance redressal forum shall consider and dispose of the same, after giving the petitioner an opportunity of personal hearing, within a period of two months from the date of receipt of the grievance petition. It is made clear that if the petitioner fails to ﬁle its petition before the grievance redressal forum within the stipulated time, the respondents shall be free to take appropriate action for enforcement of the demand. Subject to the above directions, the Writ Petition is disposed of. As a sequel to disposal of the Writ Petition, W.P.M.P.No.39057 of 2011 ﬁled by the petitioner for interim relief is disposed of as infructuous. __________________________ C.V.NAGARJUNA REDDY, J 29th November 2011 DR