1. Case of the complainant is that a domestic connection bearing reference No.19134251511800R is installed at his premises situated at Chak No.74/SB Bhagtanwala Tehsil & District Sargodha. He is bonafide consumer. In the month of October, 2012 respondents sent a bill amounting to Rs, 8211/- which is quite unjustified and against the actual consumption. On the other hand contention of the respondent is that consumer's electricity meter became defective in the month of June, 2012 to November, 2012 when it was replaced. According to the Meter Inspector the defective meter had recorded only 1 unit per month from June to August, 12 for which consumer was charged average unit 252 per month from June to September, 2012 and a bill of Rs, 8,211/- has been sent to the consumer.
2. I have perused the record minutely brought by the Meter Inspector, according to which in the month of October, 2012 the electricity meter was declared defective which was replaced in November, 2012. According to the Meter Inspector in the month of June, July and August, 2012 the defective meter had recorded only single unit due to some fault. The Meter Inspector has not denied that the same meter recorded 160 units consumption in the month of September, 2012. The respondent had admitted that 160 units were recorded by the same meter in September, 2012.
3. There is nothing on the record that Meter Reader or any of his Supervisor declared the meter defective till October, 2012. There is another evidence from the record to establish that the meter was not defective in the month of June, 2012 which is admittedly correct recording of consumption by this meter in the corresponding months of 2011 which is also 1 unit per month from July, August, September and October. If declaration, although arbitrary, by the respondents to find the meter defective is admitted true, for the sake of arguments, the consumer could only be charged average units as per consumption of the corresponding months of October to November. The complainant present in the court has not agitated his grievance about the units charged in these months, therefore, I am not going to record any observation about the same. However, it is clear from the record produced by the respondent that in the months of June to September, 2012 till October, 2012 the meter was in order and recording the consumption correctly and there is no justification to charge the consumer any kind of average bill for these 4 months when no Laboratory report about the meter is available on record showing it defective. There is no answer to the question as to why the meter was not declared defective in June, 2012 if it was so. From the record it is evident that the same was declared defective in October, 2012. The meter can't be presumed defective simply for the reason that it has shown less consumption.
4. Up short of the discussion is that charging of 250 units from June to September, 2012 cannot be declared justified from any angle and the same is set aside. Respondent is directed to overhaul consumer's account by giving credit of 841 units.
5. The complaint is disposed off accordingly. File be consigned to record room after due completion.