Protect BSES staff to provide power connection: HC to police

A woman's complaint that she has been staying without electricity for over four months and BSES officials needed police protection to restore her power connection, today led the Delhi High Court to direct the police to provide protection to the power company staff.
Justice A K Pathak directed the Station House Officer of Lajpat Nagar police station in South Delhi to ensure that BSES officials are protected when they visit the premises of the petitioner lady on July one.
66-year-old Chander Kanta Malhotra, widow of an ex- armyman, had alleged that her power connection was disconnected in February this year by a former local councillor in order to force her to vacate the house.

The court passed the order and disposed of the petition after BSES said it had no objection to restore the power connection at the premises of Malhotra.
A direction for police protection to BSES employees was earlier issued by a consumer grievance redressal forum set up under the Electricity Act.
In the petition filed through advocate Amit Sahni, the woman had alleged that despite the forum's order, the police did not provide protection to the BSES staffers who had come to install the meter at her premises following the forum's decision.
Kanta, who has been living in the house since 1992, contended that when the police was approached for protection, it asked the BSES officials to get an order from a civil court.