IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA CWJC No.15133 of 2009 KIRAN RAI W/O DR. UMASHANKAR RAI, R/O GULZAR APARTMENT (NEAR TARA MANDAL) BAILEY ROAD, P.S- KOTWALI DISTT- PATNA …….PETITONER Versus 1. THE BIHAR STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD THROUGH ITS CHAIRMAN VIDYUT BHAWAN, BAILEY ROAD, PATNA 2. THE CHAIRMAN, THE BIHAR STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD, VIDYUT BHAWAN BAILEY ROAD, PATNA 3. THE SECRETARY BIHAR STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD, VIDYUT BHAWAN, BAILEY ROAD, PATNA 4. THE ASSISTANT ENGINEER, null COMMERCIAL, BIHAR STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD, NEW DAK BUNGLOW DIVISION-DAUNDAR BAGACHA, PATNA …….RESPONDENTS ----------- 02. 22.12.2009 Petitioner is a domestic consumer. Petitioner was built for consumption of over 27000 units in a short span of about 45 days. Last meter reading recorded for several months was 2700 units and then it suddenly jumped to 27000 units which was obviously wrong. Petitioner came to this Court and this Court directed the petitioner to move the Consumer Cell in terms of Section 42(2) of the Electricity Act. Petitioner filed an application before the Consumer Dispute Redressal Cell but as the forum is non-functional nothing is being done and even though the preliminary report of the Executive Engineer was in favour of the petitioner, petitioner is now being pressed to make payment of the entire bill and the delayed payment surcharge thereon. It is a matter of regret that a forum statutorily 2 to be created by the Board itself in terms of Section 42(5) of the Electricity Act, the Board is letting it become totally non-functional and the result a large number of writ petitions are now being filed for disputes which could be easily, conveniently and cheaply resolved by the statutory Consumer Dispute Cell which is not being done and this Court is being burdened. As petitioner has already preferred his application before the Consumer Cell in terms of earlier orders of this Court, I direct that till the disposal of petitioner’s grievance by the Consumer Cell, the dues in respect of the said dispute shall not be enforced and would not be payable by the petitioner. With this observation and direction, the writ petitioner stands disposed off. Shageer (Navaniti Prasad Singh, J)