WPA 28296 of 2026 ISD Industries Pvt. Ltd. & Anr. -v 05.10.2026 The West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Co.Ltd. & Ors. sl.no.13 ct.652 Mr. Deepan Sarkar Mr. Tanish Ganeriwala Ms. Brinda Sengupta ….for the petitioner Mr. Debjit Mukherjee …for the WBSEDCL 1. The petitioner’s grievance in the instant case is that in spite of the meter installed at the factory of the petitioner being in defective condition and no consumption being made during the period from June to August, 2026, the factory not being functional during that period, the respondent authority has raised baseless, abrupt and exorbitant bills, for the months of June, July and August, 2026. 2. Mr. Sarkar, learned advocate for the petitioner has submitted that the petitioner has deposited bills so raised by the respondent for the months of June and July, 2026 under protest. However, admittedly, the bill amount to the tune of Rs. 6,60,443/- for the month of August, 2026, has not been submitted by the petitioner to the respondent. 3. Admittedly, also on 30th September, 2026, the respondent authority has installed a new meter at the factory premises of the petitioner and at present the said new meter is functional. 4. The respondents’ principal objection is to the maintainability of the instant writ petition, which, according to the respondent, relates to 2 billing dispute which is referable to the Chief Engineer, in terms of the statute. 5. Having heard submissions of the learned advocates for the respective parties and having perused the materials on record, I find due corroboration of the submissions made on behalf of the petitioner with the materials on record. 6. Therefore, since dispute of the petitioner relates to the bills and bill amount for the months of June, July and August, 2026, this Court is of considered opinion that the present matter may be disposed of by directing the petitioner to raise dispute before the appropriate authority, namely, the Chief Engineer, Central Commercial Department, WBSEDCL in accordance with law. 7. Let therefore it be directed that the petitioner should raise his dispute with regard to the bills amount for the months of June, July and August, 2026 before the said authority within a period of seven days from today. 8. The said authority shall consider the disputes so raised by the petitioner within a period of four weeks from the date of submission of written representation to that effect, by the petitioner, before the said authority. 9. The above stated directions are applicable and relates to the disputed bills of the months of June, July and August, 2026. So far the current consumption bill of the petitioner is concerned, that he shall be obliged to duly remit as per bill raised by the respondent 3 authority pursuant to reading of the new meter, installed on 30th September, 2026. 10. Till decision by the authority as above with respect to the complaint raised by the present petitioner as per direction of this Court, no coercive steps should be taken by the respondent authority against the petitioner, on the ground of his consumption or alleged non- payment of bill till August 2026. This protection order does not cover the petitioner for irregularity whatsoever, if alleged after August 2026. 11. With the direction as above, the instant writ petition is disposed of. 12. Since no affidavit-in-opposition is called for in the instant case, the allegation if any, made in the writ petition is deemed to have been denied and disputed by the respondent authority. (Rai Chattopadhyay, J.)