- (1.) The petitioners were consumers of electricity, supplied by the respondent No. 1. For the purpose of such supply, cables had been laid under a common passage owned admittedly by the private respondents. An incident of lightning and thunder showers on June 16, 2012 led to disruption of supply of electricity to the petitioners' premises. The meters were burnt as a consequence. The petitioners had applied before the respondent No. 1 for reconnection and/or restoration of supply. Technical personnel were engaged by the respondent No. 1 pursuant to receipt of the request from the petitioners. However, they were resisted by the private respondents as a result whereof supply could not be restored. The petitioners moved the Executive Magistrate, Alipore, South 24-Parganas under section 144(2), Criminal Procedure Code. Although the Magistrate passed an order on June 20, 2012 directing the Officer-in-Charge, Budge Budge Police Station to ensure that repair work undertaken for restoration of supply of electricity to the petitioners' premises is not obstructed, no fruitful action was taken resulting in the petitioners spending their days in darkness.
(2.) This writ petition was thereafter presented on July 9, 2012 praying for, inter alia, order on the respondents 2 and 3 to restore supply of electricity with the help of the police.
(3.) The writ petition has since been heard on affidavits.;