• Electricity connection termination

Recently there has been a house break at my property where burglars stole away the electricity meter. I have filed FIR with the police for the same.
I approached SDO of the department to report the same and close the connection as there is no one staying at the property and he suggested me a very lengthy process to follow. He said, I will have to first apply for a new meter, the meter will be installed at the location and then I will have to apply for termination where they will come and collect the meter and further process it for finally terminating the connection. Util then they will keep on generating provisional bills.
I don't want to continue with the electricity connection at this property as there is no one staying there at the moment and there are anti-social elements around who have caused damage to the property earlier also and may do the same thing with new meter with an intention to trouble again. 

1. How can I get the connection terminated without having to follow such a lengthy process which doesn't makes any sense when there is no one staying at the property and I don't need the services anymore?
2. I have also informed the same to local electricity department about the incident and asked them to cutt-off power supply and blacklist stolen meter immediately to avoid any possible misuse by anyone. But they seem ignorant and are not even ready to formally accept the written complaint.
3. I am not using the electricity anymore and the incident has already been reported to the department and police. They should at least freeze the connection and not generate provisional bills. Else I will end up paying for what I am not using. That's unfair !
4. Also, do I need to do any other sort of formality as a consumer in case of meter theft.

As a consumer, I have been paying all the bills timely and responsibly till date. This is like a liability to me now which is not of any value as I am not using it. Please suggest !
Asked 4 years ago in Consumer Law

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5 Answers

1. The theft of the electricity service connection meter is different subject to that of the termination or disconnecting the electricity service connection.

The department is right to inform you about the procedures of law to be complied in this regard.

The minimum consumption bill has to be paid by you till such time the service connection is disconnected on your request.

The question is not about whether you live in the property or not, it was on your application that the electricity service connection was allotted to you hence you may have to abide by the rules and procedures of law in this regard which was agreed by you while seeking the service connection.

2. You cannot force them if they are reluctant but you can always approach their higher authority with a similar application in writing expressing your grievances seeking his intervention and instructions to the subordinate officials to initiate action on your application for this purpose as per law,.

3. The minimum consumption bill has to be paid by you till such time the service connection is disconnected on your request.

The police cannot pass instruction to the electricity department to disconnect the service connection allotted to you, they can investigate into the criminal complaint that has been lodged by you and their obligation ends there itself.

4. Consumer case is not maintainable nor it will be entertained for the theft of electric service connection meter.

 

T Kalaiselvan
Advocate, Vellore
89977 Answers
2492 Consultations

 

 


Consumer has to submit a affidavit on Notary Stamp Paper of Rs. 10, stating the reason of permanent disconnection to the Area Executive Engineer, Distribution Division along with copy of the latest Bill.

 

 

2) the consumer has to go to the office of the executive engineer and deposit the processing fee to disconnect the electricity connection

 

3) . Thereafter a letter is sent from the Executive Engineer’s Office to the SDO office. In which it is directed to SDO to submit the PD report by cutting the consumer’s line and removing the meter. PD report with the sealing certificate for removing the meter is sent back to the Executive Engineer Office. means both reports would be sent from the sdo office to the office of the executive engineer office. A consumer’s final bill is made based on the last reading of the PD report and the meter. Which the consumer has to deposit. After paying the final bill by the consumer. An office memorandum is made in which an order to disconnect the line permanently is made. After that, the connection would be deleted from the computer from the system.

Ajay Sethi
Advocate, Mumbai
99775 Answers
8145 Consultations

You may send a notice by Regd. Post or Speed Post with A. D. to the electricity department surrendering the service connection and asking them to disconnect power supply, say, within 15 days. If there is no proper response, file a complaint with the consumer forum for redress.

Swaminathan Neelakantan
Advocate, Coimbatore
3070 Answers
20 Consultations

1. By applying to your electric service provider

2. Send them through registered post your complaint

3. You apply they need to do it legally

4. No need

5. You can approach consumer court if they act illegally

Prashant Nayak
Advocate, Mumbai
34514 Answers
249 Consultations

1. You should move an application with the FIR copy before the electricity department for the installation of a meter of with the same number , and the electricity department is bound for the same. 

2. You can file a compliant against the SDO of the department before the Electricity Ombudsman of your city .

Mohammed Shahzad
Advocate, Delhi
15814 Answers
242 Consultations

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