IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE KURIAN JOSEPH FRIDAY, THE 18TH JULY 2008 / 27TH ASHADHA 1930 OP.No. 10519 of 2002(B) -------------------------------- PETITIONER : ------------------ M/S.SAFA PLYWOODS PRIVATE LTD., REGD. OFFICE 1/312 B & C, NEAR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AREA, ERUMATHALA (P.O),ALUVA-683 105, REP.BY ITS MG.DIRECTOR, SRI.B.H.ABDUL KHADER. BY ADV. SRI.C.K.ABDUL RAHIM RESPONDENTS : ---------------------- 1. THE KERALA STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD, REP. BY ITS SECRETARY,VYDYUTHI BHAVAN, PATTOM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 2. THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, ELECTRICAL DIVISION,ALUVA, KSEB, ALUVA-683 101. 3. THE ASST.EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, ELECTRICAL MAJOR SECTION, TOWN-ALUVA, ALUVA-683101 BY ADV. SRI.P.SANTHALINGAM, SC, KSEB - R1 TO 3 SRI.C.K.KARUNAKARAN, SC, KSEB - R1 TO 3 THIS ORIGINAL PETITION HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 18/07/2008, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: OP.No. 10519 of 2002(B) ORDER ON C.M.P.NO.18589/2002 IN O.P.NO.10519/2002 DISMISSED 18.07.2008 SD/-, KURIAN JOSEPH, JUDGE APPENDIX PETITIONER'S EXHIBITS:- EXT.P1: TRUE COPY OF THE ORIGINAL POWER ALLOCATION ORDER DT.29.12.1995 EXT.P2: TRUE COPY OF THE GOVERNMENT ORDER G.O.(M.S) NO:4/92/PD DT.06.02.1992. EXT.P3: TRUE COPY OF THE ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATE DT.15.04.2007 EXT.P4: TRUE COPY OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2ND RESPONDENT DT.28.05.1997. EXT.P5: TRUE COPY OF THE CERTICATE ISSUED FROM THE ASST.DISTRICT INDUSTRIES OFFICER, ALUVA, DT.22.06.1999 EXT.P6: TRUE COPY OF CERTIFICATE DT.31.08.2000 EXT.P7: CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENT AND INCORPORATION OF ADDITIONAL POWER LOAD IN THE SSI REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE OBTAINED FROM THE TALUK INDUSTRIES OFFICER DT.03.10.2000 EXT.P8: TRUE COPY OF THE ELECTRICAL BILL FOR THE MONTH OF 3/2001 EXT.P9: TRUE COPY OF THE 'SITE MAHAZAR' PREPARED ON 13.08.2001 EXT.P10: TRUE COPY OF THE NOTICE DT.05.10.2001 EXT.P11: TRUE COPY OF THE PENAL BILL DT.04.10.2001 EXT.P12: TRUE COPY OF THE BILL DT.06.08.2001 EXT.P13: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER ISSUED BY THE 3RD RESPONDENT DT.14.08.2001 EXT.P14: TRUE COPY OF THE BILL FOR THE MONTH OF 8/01 OP.No. 10519 of 2002(B) EXT.P15: TRUE COPY OF THE APPEAL PREFERRED AGAINST EXT.P11 DT.06.10.2001 EXT.P16: TRUE COPY OF THE COMMON APPEAL PREFERRED AGAINST EXT.P12 & P14 BILLS EXT.P17: TRUE COPY OF THE JUDGMENT IN O.P.NO.31654/2001 DT.24.10.2001 EXT.P18: TRUE COPY OF THE BILL EXT.P19: TRUE COPY OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE 3RD RESPONDENT DT.05.11.2001 EXT.P20: TRUE COPY OF THE BILL ISSUED ALONG WITH EXT.P19 DEMANDING BALANCE PAYMENT OF RS.4,769/- DT.05.11.2001 EXT.P21: TRUE COPY OF THE BILL 10/01 EXT.P22: TRUE COPY OF THE APPEAL EXT.P23: TRUE COPY OF THE JUDGMENT IN O.P.NO.35353/2001 DT.28.11.2001 EXT.P24: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER OF THE 2ND RESPONDENT DT.30.03.2002 EXT.P25: TRUE COPY OF THE NOTICE ISSUED BY THE 3RD RESPONDENT DT.05.04.2002 EXT.P26: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER DT.02.02.1999 EXT.P27: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER DT.24.08.1993 EXT.P28: TRUE COPY OF THE BOARDS ORDER DT.27.03.1992 -TRUE COPY- P.A. TO JUDGE pac KURIAN JOSEPH, J. --------------------------------------- O.P. No. 10519 OF 2002 --------------------------------------- Dated this the 18th day of July, 2008. J U D G M E N T This original petition is filed mainly with the following prayers : i) Issue a writ of certiorari quashing Exhibit P24 & P25. ii) Issue a writ of certiorari quashing all Electricity Bills issued to the petitioner consequent to Exhibit P9 inspection, to the extend of imposing penalty under Regulation 42(d) of the 'conditions of supply of Electrical Energy'. iii) Issue a writ declaring that the respondents are not entitled to bring any amendment or modification to any of the Regulations duly notified and published by virtue of the powers under Section 79(1) of the Electricity (Supply) Act, through any clarifications or Board's orders which are not duly notified or published in the official Gazette, and consequently declaring that regulation 42(d) of the conditions of supply of electrical energy does not authorizes imposition of penalty for any unauthorised connected load for LT consumers. iv) Issue a writ of mandamus to the respondents 2 & 3 directing to revise all electricity Bills issued to the petitioner consequent to Exhibit P9 inspection, re-calculating the exclusion of the concessional rate of Pre-92 tariff, on the basis of the method prescribed under Exhibit P28 order of the board. As far as penalty for unauthorised connected load is concerned, it is now settled law in view of the Bench decision of this Court in W.A.No.1231/03 that the penalty has to be limited to the fixed charge portion. It is held that there shall not be any penalty by way of proportionate energy charges. OP No. 10519/02 2 2. The impugned demands are quashed making it clear that the liability of the petitioner shall only be for the penalty for fixed charge portion. The revised demand shall be issued to the petitioner and the amounts already remitted by the petitioner shall be adjusted. This original petition is disposed of as above. KURIAN JOSEPH, JUDGE. smp OP No. 10519/02 3 KURIAN JOSEPH, J. O.P. No. 10519 OF 2002 J U D G M E N T 18.07.2008