Upholds Injunction Against Electricity Board’s Rs.46,720 Demand Raised on Defective Meter

(i) Indian Electricity Act, 1910, Ss.26(2), 26(6), Punjab State Electricity Board Sales Manual, Instruction Nos. 115 and 116 — Defective meter — Demand raised on average basis — Where meter installed by Electricity Department was defective from date of installation and was not changed for...

(ii) Indian Electricity Act, 1910, Ss.26(2), 26(6) — Defective meter — Demand raised on average basis — Dispute regarding assessment — Reference to Electrical Inspector — In absence of any notice, opportunity of hearing and disclosure of basis of calculation, no effective reference to Electrical...

(iii) Principles of natural justice — Electricity demand — Demand raised without prior notice and without communicating the basis of calculation was violative of principles of natural justice.

(iv) Electricity supply — Defective meter not replaced by department — Average consumption — Electricity Department, having taken monthly readings and having failed to replace defective meter immediately, could not justify calculation on basis of six hourly consumption when actual consumption after replacement of meter...