Haryana Government has re-introduced the “Out of Court Settlement of Pending Court Cases Scheme” pertaining to various categories of electricity consumers. It will remain in operation upto December 31.
The scheme would be available for settlement of all disputes of electricity consumers pending in Courts including District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (DCDRF), State Commission and Arbitration as on October 31, 2017, said a spokesman of Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam.
However, the cases already settled or decided would not be re-opened and the scheme would not be applicable to the cases which have been decided in favour of Nigam, he said.
Giving details, he said that all such disputes where penalties have been levied can be settled under the scheme provided the consumer or applicant pays a reduced amount of 50 per cent of the amount initially assessed, along with simple interest at the rate of 12 per cent per annum on the unpaid balance amount of the reduced amount. Disputes on account of levy of development charges were also covered under the scheme, he added.
The scheme would also be available to theft cases booked for the first time only where consumer has not been convicted for offence of theft of energy by any court of law. In addition, the scheme would applicable to the cases, where dispute is on account of minimum charges (MMC).
Such cases can be settled by payment of full amount of MMC along with simple interest at the rate of 12 per cent per annum on the unpaid balance amount, the spokesman said.
All the officers of the Nigam have been directed to make all out efforts to settle maximum number of disputes pending in courts, arbitration, DCDRF and State Commission, added he.