HC imposes rupees one lakh penalty on UP electricity department

The Allahabad High Court today imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Department for making a vague explanation of delay in filing its reply to a plea against it by a consumer.

After imposing the fine, a bench of justices Shashi Kant Gupta and Ajit Kumar ordered remitting the sum to the Kerala Chief Minister's Disaster Relief Fund.

"The vague explanation offered by the deponent (UP Electricity Department) of the affidavit for the delay is not acceptable," the court said, while imposing the cost.

The court had earlier summoned the Garhmukteshwar executive engineer of the state's electricity distribution wing, the Paschimanchal Vidyut Vitaran Nigam Limited, Hapur, who too was was present before the court.

Petitioner Gaurav Sharma had challenged the recovery order of the Electricity Department on which the court earlier had asked the department to file its reply.

The court ordered that a draft of Rs 1 lakh made in the favour of court's registrar general, who would remit the fund for the relief of flood-hit Kerala. PTI Corr.