The A.P. High Court on Tuesday wondered as to how the new power tariff could be enforced on consumers without releasing the full-fledged order passed by the regulatory authority to the public.
A Division Bench, comprising acting Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and Justice Vilas Afzul Purkar, said that it wants to peruse the reasoned order passed by the Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) and adjourned the case to Monday. The Bench was dealing with a writ petition field by A. Biksham, who challenged the orders of APERC for increasing the power tariff steeply.
Senior counsel S. Ramachandra Rao, appearing for the petitioner, said that 2.5 crore consumers in the State were suffering due to the failure of the government. It failed to get sufficient power generated and get the required gas, he noted.
ADVERTISEMENT
He demonstrated that the salary of his client is Rs. 3,300 per month and the power tariff would be Rs. 1,100. He said the objection raised by various persons was not considered by the APERC. He wondered how the APERC passed the two-page order. The Bench wanted the counsel for APERC to explain this.
The court was told that the operative portion indicating new tariff was given to all and the detailed order would be made available after two weeks. The Bench, however, wondered as to how such an order, which was not yet released, could be given effect from April 1. The bench asked the APERC to submit the “so- called reasoned order” of the APERC in full.