The Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) on Monday asserted before the Madras High Court that it had calculated the power charges for the lockdown period — when meter readings couldn’t be noted down — strictly in accordance with the Tamil Nadu Electricity Supply Code (TNESC) of 2004, and that there was no arbitrariness in the process.
Justices M.M. Sundresh and R. Hemalatha were told by Additional Advocate General P.H. Arvindh Pandian that some domestic consumers were complaining about the charges without understanding that their consumption pattern had changed during the lockdown, when they were staying at home for 18 to 20 hours a day. The submissions were made during the hearing of a public interest litigation petition filed by M.L. Ravi of the Desiya Makkal Sakthi Katchi. His counsel Kabilan Manoharan accused Tangedco of having followed an “unjust and arbitrary” method of calculating power consumption charges during the lockdown, beginning March 25.
Refuting the allegation, the AAG told the court that Rule 10 of TNESC provides for the methodology to be followed when meters are not accessible for taking readings. Tangedco had followed that rule in letter and in spirit during the lockdown period, and had also obtained the approval of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission for doing so, he said. He filed a counter-affidavit on behalf of Tangedco, which said: “The allegation of extraction [of money] by Tangedco is untrue. There is no violation of the approved tariff rates…As such, the allegation of arbitrary exercise of power is unacceptable.”
Mr. Pandian said domestic consumers from poorer sections of society, who consume less than 100 units bi-monthly, had nothing to worry as the State government will subsidise the entire charges for them. Also, the PIL petitioner himself had stated that those who consume more than 500 units bi-monthly would not be affected by the methodology adopted by Tangedco, he noted. The litigant’s grievance was that only those who consume between 200 and 500 units bi-monthly would be affected. But such a claim was untenable as Tangedco had followed the rules scrupulously, he added.
The judges adjourned the case to Wednesday for the filing of written arguments.
