WPA/26477/2026 of TAPAN KUMAR KARMKAR Vs STATE OF WEST BENGAL AND ORS. on 28 September 2026

1. This Court passed an order on September 16, 2025 in WPA No. 11446 of 2025 directing the petitioner to pay a sum of Rs.1,05,943/- as the outstanding electricity charges.

2. The petitioner says that the said sum has already been paid by him.

3. The grievance of the petitioner is that since thereafter, no electricity bill has been raised against the petitioner by the licensee and all on a sudden, a bill dated August 7, 2026 has been issued of a sum of Rs.62,882/-.

4. The petitioner alleges that the respondent licensee could not have issued a bill of such an exaggerated amount, without issuing month wise electricity consumption bill to the petitioner.

5. The petitioner further alleges that the respondent licensee without issuing month-wise electricity consumption bill, could not have raised the bill of exorbitant amount including the interest amount, on the allegation of non-payment of bill by the petitioner.

6. According to the respondent licensee, the bill amount is far from being exorbitant and is only in accordance with the actual consumption of the petitioner and in accordance with law.

7. Having considered the dispute involved in the present writ petition, this Court finds the same to be a dispute relating to payment and bill.

8. The Court finds that the same is covered under Clause 3.5.1. of the 2013 Regulation (The West Bengal Electricity Regulatory Commission (Electricity Supply Code) Regulations, 2013), which empowers the Grievance Redressal Officer to address any dispute regarding payment of bill.

9. In such circumstances, let this writ petition be disposed of directing the petitioner to immediately submit a written representation of him before the Regional Grievance Redressal Officer, Murshidabad espousing his objection and grievance as to the bill dated August 7, 2026.

10. Let the Regional Grievance Redressal Officer, Murshidabad immediately take up such written representation of the petitioner and decide about the same by dint of a reasoned order positively within a period of three weeks from the date of submission of written representation by the petitioner before the same.

11. In doing so, the Regional Grievance Redressal Officer, Murshidabad shall grant opportunity of hearing to the petitioner.

12. Needless is to mention that in case the Grievance Redressal Officer finds no dispute as regards the bill, necessary steps should be taken by him for immediate restoration of electricity connection of the petitioner, if disconnected by this time.

13. Since no affidavit has been invited, allegations contained in the writ petition shall be deemed not to have been admitted by the respondent authority.

14. With the aforesaid observations and directions, WPA No. 26477 of 2026 is disposed of.

15. Urgent photostat certified copy of this order, if applied for, be supplied to the parties upon compliance with all requisite formalities.

(Rai Chattopadhyay, J.)