- (1.) Heard learned counsel for the parties. The petitioner, who is the Headmaster of St. Anne's Boys U.P. School, Samtoli, District-Simdega, is aggrieved by the alleged inflated bills and disconnection of electrical connection of the said school.
(2.) It has been stated that the usual monthly electricity bill of the school, since the date of installation of connection, was round about Rs. 3,000/- per month till August 2010. The bills were regularly paid by the school. Suddenly, an inflated bill of Rs. 12,831/- and Rs. 13,014/- were served on the petitioner for the month of August 2010 and September 2010. When the petitioner objected against the said bills and requested for issuing proper bill, the respondents, instead, issued bill of Rs. 1,51,613/- on 14.7.2011 showing arrears of fifteen months. The respondents thereafter, disconnected the electricity line of the school on 16.8.2011. The petitioner filed representation before the respondents, but the same was not entertained. The petitioner, thereafter, has preferred this writ petition for the relief, as aforementioned.
(3.) Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted that the school imparts education to the children of extremely poor families. The petitioner had been paying the bill amounts regularly and is always ready and willing to pay the bill amount for actual electrical consumption. The petitioner is an old consumer and according to recent bills, the average amount was around rupees three thousand per month. Even on that basis, the total amount should have been around Rs. 45,000/- to 50,000/-, but the arbitrary amount of more than Rs. 1,50,000/- has been shown in the last bill served on the petitioner. The petitioner is unable to pay the said inflated amount.;