The Madras High Court on Tuesday restrained Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) from disconnecting till May 18 the power supply given to domestic consumers, huts, farmers as well as micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) for non-payment of electricity charges due this month.
Justices Vineet Kothari and Pushpa Sathyanarayana passed the interim order on a public interest litigation petition filed by advocate C. Rajashekaran who pointed out that people were suffering without income during the lockdown to fight COVID-19 and hence they must be given sufficient time to pay the electricity charges.
The litigant stated that the power consumption charges assessed as on March 31 this year, had to be paid by the consumers by May 6. However, given the unprecedented situation prevailing at the moment, they must be given time at least till July 31 for payment of the charges and no coercive action should be taken till then, he pleaded.
When the case was taken up for admission through video conferencing, no counsel appeared on behalf of Tangedco. However, since State Government Pleader V. Jayaprakash Narayanan sought time to file a counter affidavit on behalf of the State government as well as Tangedco, the judges directed the litigant to serve papers on him.
“Let all the respondents place their counter affidavits on record before May 18 explaining the policy decision in this matter about the deferment of payment of electricity consumption charges… It is made clear that no coercive process against the consumers of Tangedco shall be taken, including power disconnection, till next date of hearing,” the Bench ordered.
