Cancel inflated bills: HC to electricity suppliers

The High Court today directed the authorities of electricity suppliers to cancel the inflated electricity bills from February to June and to prepare customised bills based on actual metre-reading for each consumer.

In response to a writ petition, the HC also ordered the authorities to collect late payment surcharge from the consumers against the inflated bills and to submit separate reports after complying with the directives in two months.

Chairmen of Power Development Board (PDB) and Rural Electrification Board (REB), and the managing directors of Dhaka Power Development Company (DPDC), Dhaka Electricity Supply Company (DESCO), West Zone Power Distribution Company (WZPDC) Ltd and Northern Electricity Supply Company (NESC) have been asked to prepare the customised electricity bills as per directive No. 3.1 issued by the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) on July 16 this year.

The HC also asked the authorities concerned to show causes why they should not be directed to take punitive action against the electricity suppliers under section 43 of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission Act, 2003 for violating the BERC directive.

The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Mohi Uddin Shamim came up with the order after virtually hearing a writ petition recently filed by Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB) seeking necessary directives on this issue.    

During hearing of the writ petition today, petitioner's counsel Jyotirmoy Barua told the HC that the electricity supply authorities have prepared inflated electricity bills since February to June in violation of the law and BERC directives but no punitive action was taken against them.