IN THE HIGH COURT OF BOMBAY AT GOA WRIT PETITION NO. 536 OF 2009 M/S. SARDESSAI ENGINEERING WORKS AND ANR., ... Petitioners Versus STATE OF GOA THROUGH CHIEF SECRETARY AND 4 ORS., ... Respondents Petitioner No.2 present in person. Mr. S. S. Kantak, Advocate General with Mr. A. Kamat, Addl. Government Advocate for the Respondents. Coram:- N. A. BRITTO & R. M. SAVANT, JJ. Date:- 11th December, 2009 P.C. 1. Heard Petitioner No.2 for the Petitioners and learned Advocate General for the Respondents. 2. The present Petition has been filed by the Petitioners after receipt of notice for disconnection dated 31.7.2009 for failure of payment of electricity charges of Rs.15,29,206/-. The Petitioners are consumer of electricity supplied by the Respondents, pursuant to an agreement between the parties dated 03.01.1975. Amongst the reliefs sought by the Petitioners is a relief for setting up a Consumer Redressal Forum in terms of Section 42(5) of the Electricity Act, 2003, which according to the Petitioners ought to have been set up by the Respondents within six months of the Electricity Act, 2003, having come into force. 3. Shri Kantak, learned Advocate General submits that the said Consumer Redressal Forum will be set up as soon as possible and within a period of six months. We accept the statement. 4. It is submitted on behalf of the Respondents that the Petitioners paid their bills for consumption of electricity as per applicable tariffs from time to time up to the year 2000. There is also no dispute that at present the bills raised by the Respondents are being paid regularly. Our attention has been drawn to Section 56 of the said Act. There is already a demand raised by the Respondents in the sum of Rs. 15,29,206/-. The Petitioner No.2 contends that since the Petitioners have raised the dispute, the Petitioners are not liable to deposit the said sum unless the dispute is settled by the forum to be constituted by the Respondents. 5. We are not inclined to accept the said submission. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, we direct the Petitioners to pay a sum of Rs. 8,00,000/- to the Respondents within a period of six weeks. The said sum will be subject to the decision of the said Consumer Redressal Forum which will have to eventually decide the dispute between the parties. 6. The Petition is disposed off on the above terms. In case the payment is not made as herein directed, the Respondents may proceed in accordance with law as against the Petitioners. N. A. BRITTO, J. R. M. SAVANT, J. at*