A city court has restrained Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (DHBVN) from disconnecting electricity supply to Suncity Avenue society in Sector 102, which houses at least 800 families, over a disputed demand of ₹ 96.84 lakh energy bill retrospectively from 2019 citing excessive commercial-category consumption.
Civil judge Jasmeet Singh granted interim relief during the first hearing on Monday on an application filed by the society’s Residents Welfare Association (RWA), observing that electricity is an essential service and that the Supreme Court has recognised access to electricity as an important facet of the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. Advocate Seema Nain, representing the RWA, submitted that residents had no liability for the dues and disconnection would affect around 800 families. “The realty firm managed everything till October 2024.
We had no idea that such an issue was going to crop up.
“Disconnection of electricity at this stage would have immediate and serious consequences for a large number of residential families, whereas the dispute regarding the alleged dues can be adjudicated between the concerned parties in accordance with law,” the court observed. PN Mishra, Suncity Avenue RWA general secretary, said residents could not afford the amount. We met a discom official who said that they can give relief by dividing the amount in four bills and later moved court to get relief,” he said.
