Reportable

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

CIVIL APPEAL No. 7572 OF 2011  (Arising out of S.L.P. (C) No. 15332 of 2008)

  Sri Chandu Khamaru   …  Appellant

Versus

Smt. Nayan Malik & Ors.                             … Respondents

J U D G M E N T

A. K. PATNAIK, J.

Delay  condoned  in  filing  rejoinder  affidavit.   Leave  

granted.

2. This is an appeal by way of special leave against the  

impugned  judgment  and  order  dated  09.05.2008  of  the  

Calcutta High Court in MAT No.514 of 2006.   

3. The facts briefly are that the appellant owns a house in  

Dag  No.408,  Khatiyan  No.1212,  Mauja  Panchpara  P.S.  

Sankrail, District Howrah, West Bengal.  The house of the  

appellant  was not  being supplied with electricity  whereas  

the house located on Dag No.409, Khatiyan No.1212, was

being  supplied  with  electricity  by  the  Calcutta  Electricity  

Board  Supply  Corporation  Ltd.  (hereinafter  referred  to  as  

‘the  distribution  licensee’).  The  appellant  approached  the  

distribution licensee for supply of electricity but when the  

distribution licensee did not give an electricity connection  

for his house, he filed Writ Petition No.18220 of 2004 in the  

Calcutta  High  Court  and  by  order  dated  23.09.2004,  

learned Single Judge of the High Court disposed of the Writ  

Petition  by  directing  the  distribution  licensee  to  effect  

supply of electricity to the house of the appellant within six  

weeks from the date of compliance of all the formalities by  

the appellant.  Pursuant to the order dated 23.09.2004, the  

distribution licensee gave an electric connection and started  

supplying electricity to the house of the appellant.

4. On 10.01.2005, however, the respondent Nos. 1 to 3  

filed Writ Petition No.345 of 2005 claiming that they were  

owners of the house situated on Dag Nos.406, 407 and 409,  

Khatiyan  No.1212,  Mouza-Panchpara,  P.S.  Sankrail,  

District, Howrah.  Respondent Nos. 1 to 3 stated in the Writ  

Petition  that  the  distribution  licensee  has  provided  

electricity to the house of the appellant by an electric line  

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taken through a passage located on Dag Nos.406, 407 and  

409 which belongs to them and not the appellant.  In this  

Writ Petition, respondent Nos. 1 to 3 prayed inter alia for a  

writ  prohibiting  the  distribution  licensee  to  give  electric  

connection in favour of the appellant through the passage  

situated on Dag Nos.406,  407 and 409.   By order  dated  

13.02.2006,  the  learned  Single  Judge  of  the  High  Court  

allowed  the  Writ  Petition  and  directed  the  distribution  

licensee to disconnect the supply of electricity given to the  

appellant for using the land (Dag Nos.406, 407 and 409).  

The reason given by the learned Single Judge in order dated  

13.02.2006  is  that  the  appellant  was  not  entitled  to  get  

supply through the land in Dag Nos.406, 407 and 409 until  

he established his right over the land in the civil court.   

5. Aggrieved,  the  appellant  filed  an  appeal  being  MAT  

No.514 of 2006 before the Division Bench of the Calcutta  

High Court but by the impugned order dated 09.05.2008,  

the  Division  Bench  dismissed  the  appeal.   The  Division  

Bench took note of the fact that Civil  Suit No.83 of 2004  

filed by the appellant in the Court  of Civil  Judge (Junior  

Division), Howrah, in respect of the land was pending.  The  

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Division Bench held in the impugned order that until  the  

private dispute between the appellant and respondent Nos.  

1  to  3  was  resolved  in  the  civil  court,  the  distribution  

licensee  could  not  supply  electricity  to  the  house  of  the  

appellant through the disputed land.   

6. Sub-section  (1)  of  Section  42  and sub-section  (1)  of  

Section  43  of  the  Electricity  Act,  2003  are  quoted  

hereinbelow:

“42.  Duties  of  distribution  licensees  and  open  access-(1)  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  a  distribution licensee to develop and maintain  an  efficient  co-ordinated  and  economical  distribution system in his area of supply and  to  supply  electricity  in accordance  with the  provisions contained in this Act.”

“43.  Duty to supply on request-(1) Save as  otherwise  provided  in  this  Act,  every  distribution licensee, shall, on an application  by  the  owner  or  occupier  of  any  premises,  give  supply  of  electricity  to  such  premises,  within  one  month  after  receipt  of  the  application requiring such supply”

7. It will be clear from sub-section (1) of Section 42 that  

every  distribution  licensee  has  a  duty  to  develop  and  

maintain  an  efficient  co-ordinated  and  economical  

distribution  system in  his  area  of  supply  and  to  supply  

electricity  in  accordance  with  the provisions  contained in  

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this Act.  Sub-section (1) of Section 43 provides that every  

distribution licensee, shall, on an application by the owner  

or  occupier  of  any  premises,  give  supply  of  electricity  to  

such  premises,  within  one  month  after  receipt  of  the  

application requiring such supply.  These provisions in the  

Electricity Act, 2003 make it amply clear that a distribution  

licensee  has  a  statutory  duty  to  supply  electricity  to  an  

owner or occupier  of  any premises located in the area of  

supply  of  electricity  of  the  distribution  licensee,  if  such  

owner  or  occupier  of  the  premises  applies  for  it,  and  

correspondingly  every  owner  or  occupier  of  any  premises  

has a statutory right to apply for and obtain such electric  

supply from the distribution licensee.  

8. The Electricity Act, 2003 has also made provisions to  

enable the distribution licensee to carry out works for the  

purpose  of  supplying  electricity  to  the  owners  or  the  

occupiers of premises in his area of supply.    Section 67 of  

the Electricity Act, 2003 is quoted hereinbelow:

“67.  Provision  as  to  opening  up  of  streets,  railways, etc.- (1) A licensee may, from time-to-time  but subject always to the terms and conditions of  his  licence,  within  his  area  of  supply  or  transmission or when permitted by the terms of his  licence  to  lay  down or  place  electric  supply  lines  

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without the area of supply, without that area carry  out works such as-

(a)  to  open  and  break  up  the  soil  and  pavement  of  any  street,  railway  or  tram- way;

(b) to open and break up any sewer, drain or  tunnel  in  or  under  any  street,  railway  or  tramway;

(c) to alter the position of any line or works  or pipes, other than a main sewer pipe;

(d)  to  lay  down  and  place  electric  lines,  electrical plant and other works;

(e) to repair, alter or remove the same;

(f)  to  do  all  other  acts  necessary  for  transmission or supply of electricity.

(2) The Appropriate Government may, by rules made  by it in this behalf, specify,-

(a)  the  cases  and  circumstances  in  which  the  consent  in  writing  of  the  appropriate  Government,  local  authority  owner  or  occupier,  as  the  case  may  be,  shall  be  required for carrying out works;

(b)  the  authority  which  may  grant  permission in the circumstances where the  owner  or  occupier  objects  to  the  carrying  out of works;

(c)  the  nature  and  period  of  notice  to  be  given  by  the  licensee  before  carrying  out  works;

(d)  the  procedure  and  manner  of  consideration of objections and suggestions  received  in  accordance  with  the  notice  

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referred to in clause (c);

(e)  the  determination  and  payment  of  compensation  or  rent  to  the  persons  affected by works under this section;

(f)  the repairs and works to be carried out  when emergency exists;

(g)  the  right  of  the  owner  or  occupier  to  carry out certain works under this section  and the payment of expenses therefor;

(h)  the  procedure  for  carrying  out  other  works  near  sewers,  pipes  or  other  electric  lines or works;

(i)  the  procedure  for  alteration  of  the  position  of  pipes,  electric  lines,  electrical  plant, telegraph lines, sewer lines, tunnels,  drains, etc.;

(j)  the  procedure  for  fencing,  guarding,  lighting and other safety measures relating  to  works  on  streets,  railways,  tramways,  sewers,  drains  or  tunnels  and  immediate  reinstatement thereof;

(k)  the  avoidance  of  public  nuisance,  environmental  damage  and  unnecessary  damage to the public and private property  by such works;

(l)  the  procedure  for  undertaking  works  which are not reparable by the Appropriate  Government, licensee or local authority;

(m)  the  manner  of  deposit  of  amount  required  for  restoration  of  any  railways,  tramways, waterways, etc;

(n)  the  manner  of  restoration  of  property  

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affected  by  such  works  and  maintenance  thereof;

(o)  the  procedure  for  deposit  of  compensation payable  by the licensee and  furnishing of security; and

(p) such other matters as are incidental or  consequential  to  the  construction  and  maintenance of works under this section.

(3) A licensee shall, in exercise of any of the powers  conferred  by  or  under  this  section  and  the  rules  made thereunder, cause as little damage, detriment  and inconvenience as may be, and shall make full  compensation  for  any  damage,  detriment  or  inconvenience  caused  by  him  or  by  any  one  employed by him.

(4)  Where  any  difference  or  dispute  including  amount  of  compensation  under  sub-section  (3)  arises  under  this  section,  the  matter  shall  be  determined by the Appropriate Commission.

(5) The Appropriate Commission, while determining  any difference of dispute arising under this section  in addition to any compensation under sub-section  (3), may impose a penalty not exceeding the amount  of compensation payable under that sub-section.”

9. Thus,  sub-section(1)  of  Section  67  of  the  Electricity  

Act, 2003 provides that the licensee may, from time to time,  

but  subject  always  to  the  terms  and  conditions  of  his  

licensee,  within  the  area  of  supply  carry  out  the  works  

mentioned in  clauses  (a)  to  (f)  therein.   It  is  provided in  

clause (d) of sub-section (1) of Section 67 that the licensee  

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may lay down and place electric lines, electrical plant and  

other works.  Sub-section (2) of Section 67 of the Electricity  

Act, 2003 further provides that the appropriate Government  

may, by rules made by it in that behalf, specify the various  

matters  mentioned  in  clauses  (a)  to  (p)  thereof.   Under  

clause (a) of sub-section (2) of Section 67, the appropriate  

Government  may,  by  rules,  specify  the  cases  and  

circumstances  in  which  the  consent  in  writing  of  the  

appropriate Government, local authority, owner or occupier,  

as the case may be, shall be required for carrying out works.  

Under  clause  (b)  of  sub-section  (2)  of  Section  67,  the  

appropriate Government may, by rules, specify the authority  

which may grant permission in the circumstances where the  

owner or the occupier objects to the carrying out of works.

10. We  may  now  apply  the  aforesaid  provisions  of  

Electricity Act, 2003 to the facts of the present case.  The  

appellant  has  a  statutory  right  to  apply  for  and  obtain  

supply of electricity from the distribution licensee and the  

distribution  licensee  has  a  corresponding  statutory  

obligation to supply electricity to the appellant.  Respondent  

Nos. 1 to 3 also do not object to the supply of electricity by  

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the distribution licensee to the appellant as it will be clear  

from the averments made in writ petition No.345 of 2005  

filed by them before the High Court but they object to the  

line  for  supply  of  electricity  being  drawn  through  the  

passage in Dag Nos.406, 407 and 409 which they claim to  

be theirs.  The further grievance of the respondent Nos.1, 2  

and 3 is that they were not made parties in the earlier Writ  

Petition No.18220 of 2004 filed by the appellant in which  

the High Court  directed the distribution licensee to effect  

supply of electricity to the house of the appellant.  The case  

of the appellant, on the other hand, is that this passage is  

not a private passage of  respondent Nos. 1 to 3 but is a  

common  passage  and  therefore  an  electric  line  can  be  

drawn  through  this  common  passage.   This  dispute  will  

have to be resolved in Civil Suit No.83 of 2004 pending in  

the Court of Civil Judge (Junior Division), Howrah, or in any  

other suit, but pending resolution of this dispute between  

the  parties,  the  appellant  cannot  be  denied  supply  of  

electricity to his house.   

11. We, therefore, set aside the order of the learned Single  

Judge as well as the impugned order of the Division Bench  

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and dispose of the Writ  Petition of respondent nos.1 to 3  

with the direction that the distribution licensee will find out  

whether there is any other way in which electric line can be  

drawn for supply of electricity to the house of the appellant,  

other than the disputed passage in Dag Nos.406, 407 and  

409.  If  there is no other way to supply electricity to the  

house of the appellant, the distribution licensee will follow  

the  provisions  of  sub-section  (2)  of  Section  67  of  the  

Electricity Act, 2003 for carrying out the work for supply of  

electricity to the house of the appellant.  This exercise will  

be completed within a period of six months from today and  

till the supply of electricity to the house of the appellant is  

effected through some other way, supply of electricity to the  

house of the appellant will not be disconnected.  The appeal  

is  allowed  to  the  extent  indicated  in  this  judgment.   No  

costs.

……………………..J.                                                                (R.V. Raveendran)

……………………..J.                                                                (A. K. Patnaik) New Delhi, September 02, 2011.     

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