Cuttack, Jan 13: The Orissa High Court on Tuesday issued notices to Tata Power, Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) and the State Energy Department in connection with the additional security deposit from the consumers.
Hearing a PIL on the matter, the Orissa High Court Bench has sought the response of the allied organizations.
The court has granted the DISCOM, the Tata Power and other respondents to file their replies within a three-week period.
With the DISCOM’s imposition of additional security deposits on the consumers, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Orissa High Court last month, against the Tata Power authorities.
On the petition, the client prayed the High Court to intervene into the matter. He claimed that the surplus charges violate the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) Act and power supply norms.
On the other hand, the complaint demanded the Tata Power for immediate withdrawal of the earlier notification issued by it imposing an additional security deposit.
He also alleged that Tata Power has not complied with statutory provisions and extracting consumers with unlawful fees. Energy Secretary.
Worth mentioning, massive public outrage erupted across the state over Tata Power’s decision to impose illegal additional security deposits on electricity consumers. In protest against this move, consumer associations took to the streets and launched widespread agitations.
