To resolve the electricity bill issue in Kolkata, The Calcutta High Court guided the state to file an affidavit by August 5 on steps to be taken for the same. The order accompanied a writ petition seeking an injunction restraining power utilities from charging ad hoc payment for electricity consumed throughout the lockdown period of the pandemic situation. The petitioner directed the court to file an affidavit highlighting the anomalies in the bills issued by CESC and WBSEDCL.
In the writ petition filed, the petitioner asked the question whether electricity utilities could issue ad hoc bills without meter reading in the months of April, May and June. The petitioner further said the companies supplying electricity have remained unconcerned about the circumstances during lockdown.
Provisional bills had been issued by CESC and WBSEDCL for April and May when meters were not read. Both utilities said the June bill issued after meter reading took into account the provisional bills of the previous two months. CESC has put the June bill on hold for the following claims of inflated billing for the month of June.
