2026:MNHC:131-DB P a g e 1 | 14 Item No. 1 – 2 (Supplementary) IN THE HIGH COURT OF MANIPUR AT IMPHAL PIL No. 10 of 2026 1. Sanasam Chaoba Singh, aged about 75 years, son of Late S. Tomba Singh, a resident of Singjamei Okram Leikai (Sanasam Kollup), P.O. & P.S. Singjamei, Imphal West District, Manipur – 795008, presently serving as the President of the All Manipur Power Consumer Association (AMPCA). 2. Shri Konthoujam Sanatomba Singh, aged about 72 years, S/o late K. Mani Singh, a resident of Wangkhei Meihoubam Lampak, P.O. & P.S. Porompat, Imphal East District, Manipur – 795005, presently serving as the General Secretary of the All Manipur Power Consumer Association (AMPCA). … Petitioners - Versus - 1. State of Manipur, represented by the Principal Secretary (Power), Government of Manipur, New Civil Secretariat, Mantripukhri, P.O. Mantripukhri, P.S. New Secretariat, Imphal East District, Manipur – 795002. 2. Manipur State Power Distribution Company Limited (MSPDCL), 3rd Floor, New Secretariat Building, New 2nd M.R. Gate, Imphakl – Dimapur Road, Imphal, Manipur – 795001. 2026:MNHC:131-DB P a g e 2 | 14 3. Manipur Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC), represented by its Secretary, New Civil Secretariat, Mantripukhri, P.O. Mantripukhri, P.S. New Secretariat, Imphal East District, Manipur – 795002. 4. Union of India, represented by the Secretary, Ministry of Power, Government of India, Shram Shakti Bhawan, Rafi Marg, New Delhi – 110001. 5. Managing Director, Manipur State Power Distribution Company Limited (MSPDCL) Secure Office Complex, 3rd Floor, AT Line, North AOC, Imphal West, Manipur – 795001. (Respondent No. 5 is impleaded as per order dated 14.07.2026 made in PIL No. 10 of 2026 tagged with MC(PIL) No. 13 of 2026) … Respondents With MC(PIL) No. 13 of 2026 1. Sanasam Chaoba Singh, aged about 75 years, son of Late S. Tomba Singh, a resident of Singjamei Okram Leikai (Sanasam Kollup), P.O. & P.S. Singjamei, Imphal West District, Manipur – 795008, presently serving as the President of the All Manipur Power Consumer Association (AMPCA). 2. Shri Konthoujam Sanatomba Singh, aged about 72 years, S/o late K. Mani Singh, a resident of Wangkhei Meihoubam Lampak, P.O. & P.S. Porompat, Imphal East District, Manipur – 795005, presently serving as the 2026:MNHC:131-DB P a g e 3 | 14 General Secretary of the All Manipur Power Consumer Association (AMPCA). … Applicants - Versus - 1. State of Manipur, represented by the Principal Secretary (Power), Government of Manipur, New Civil Secretariat, Mantripukhri, P.O. Mantripukhri, P.S. New Secretariat, Imphal East District, Manipur – 795002. 2. Manipur State Power Distribution Company Limited (MSPDCL), 3rd Floor, New Secretariat Building, New 2nd M.R. Gate, Imphakl – Dimapur Road, Imphal, Manipur – 795001. 3. Manipur Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC), represented by its Secretary, New Civil Secretariat, Mantripukhri, P.O. Mantripukhri, P.S. New Secretariat, Imphal East District, Manipur – 795002. 4. Union of India, represented by the Secretary, Ministry of Power, Government of India, Shram Shakti Bhawan, Rafi Marg, New Delhi – 110001. 5. Managing Director, Manipur State Power Distribution Company Limited (MSPDCL) Secure Office Complex, 3rd Floor, AT Line, North AOC, Imphal West, Manipur – 795001. (Respondent No. 5 is impleaded as per order dated 14.07.2026 made in PIL No. 10 of 2026 tagged with MC(PIL) No. 13 of 2026) … Respondents 2026:MNHC:131-DB P a g e 4 | 14 B E F O R E HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. M. SUNDAR HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE A. GUNESHWAR SHARMA For petitioners/applicants : Mr. M. Rakesh, Advocate For respondent : Mr. S. Chittaranjan, Additional Advocate General, Manipur along with Mr. A. Priyokumar, Advocate for respondent Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 5. : Mr. W. Darakeshwar, Senior Panel Counsel for Central Government for respondent No. 4. Date of order : 14.07.2026 O R D E R [M. Sundar, CJ] [1] The following abbreviations/short forms have been used in this order (for the sake of brevity, convenience and clarity): Sl. No. Abbreviation/Short Form/other short references Full Form/Expansion 1. MSPDCL Manipur State Power Distribution Company Limited 2. RDSS Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme 3. PiL Public Interest Litigation 4. R1 respondent No. 1 5. R2 respondent No. 2 6. R3 respondent No. 3 2026:MNHC:131-DB P a g e 5 | 14 7. R4 respondent No. 4 8. R5 respondent No. 5 9. AMPCA All Manipur Power Consumer Association 10. MnERC Manipur Electricity Regulatory Commission 11. AoP Association of persons 12. Sr. PCCG Senior Panel Counsel for Central Government 13. said representation representation dated 19.06.2026 sent by AMPCA to R5 [2] Captioned PiL is in the Admission Board today. Mr. M. Rakesh, learned counsel on record for PiL petitioners is before this Court (Physical Court). [3] Subject matter of captioned PiL is installation of Smart Prepaid Electricity Metres in some of Imphal Electricity Divisions under RDSS which is a centrally sponsored scheme. [4] Mr. M. Rakesh, learned counsel for PiL petitioners, at the outset, submitted that AMPCA is an unincoporated AoP in terms of legal character, PiL petitioner No. 1 and PiL petitioner No. 2 are President and General Secretary respectively of AMPCA. [5] As regards afore-referred announcement of MSPDCL regarding installation of Smart Prepaid Electricity Metres in Imphal Electrical Division Nos. I, II and III under RDSS scheme, a public notice dated 09.07.2025 was issued. Learned counsel drew the attention of 2026:MNHC:131-DB P a g e 6 | 14 this Court to this public notice and scanned reproduction of the same is as follows: [6] Learned counsel for PiL petitioners, thereafter, drew the attention of this Court to another public notice issued by MSPDCL (to be noted, public notice published in newspapers is learned counsel’s say) and scanned reproduction of subsequent public notice (as placed before this Court by PiL petitioners) is as follows: 2026:MNHC:131-DB P a g e 7 | 14 [7] Adverting to afore-referred two public notices, learned counsel for PiL petitioners submitted that while the former is voluntary/optional qua consumers, the latter is involuntary/compulsory qua consumers. Be that as it may, before proceeding further, it is deemed appropriate to record that learned counsel drew the attention of this Court to a notification dated 24.03.2026 bearing reference No. 40/1/2026-MnERC and submitted that President of AMPCA (ex-officio) has been made a member of a 20 member committee constituted by MnERC. This submission was made only to buttress and drive home the point that AMPCA has been duly recognized even by MnERC. To be noted, this is on locus. Reverting to the core issue at hand, Mr. M. 2026:MNHC:131-DB P a g e 8 | 14 Rakesh, learned counsel for PiL petitioners very fairly submitted that PiL petitioners are concerned/aggrieved only by one aspect of the latter public notice i.e., that part of the latter public notice which says that non-compliance or refusal will be treated as a punishable offence under Electricity Act, 2003 and may lead to immediate disconnection without further notice. To be noted, this is the last bullet point in the latter public notice which has been scanned and reproduced supra. [8] Issue notice. [9] Mr. S. Chittaranjan, learned Additional Advocate General for the State of Manipur along with Mr. A. Priyokumar, learned State counsel accept notice for R-1 to R-3 and Mr. W. Darakeshwar, learned Sr. PCCG accepts notice for R-4. [10] Learned State counsel pointed out that AMPCA appears to have sent a representation dated 19.06.2026 to Managing Director of MSPDCL as the same has been annexed as Annexure – A/2 to the PiL petition by the PiL petitioners. [11] Responding to the above, learned counsel for PiL petitioners submitted that afore-referred ‘19.06.2026 representation’ (‘said representation’ for the sake of convenience and clarity as set out in the tabulation supra) was dispatched by Speed Post and has been received by the addressee i.e., Managing Director of MSPDCL on 2026:MNHC:131-DB P a g e 9 | 14 22.06.2026. Scanned reproduction of said representation as placed before this Court is as follows: 2026:MNHC:131-DB P a g e 10 | 14 2026:MNHC:131-DB P a g e 11 | 14 [12] As regards the limited grievance of PiL petitioners, learned counsel for PiL petitioners submitted that the limited grievance i.e. the last bullet point in the latter public notice (as already adverted to supra) can be correlated to second bullet point in the last page of said representation. Learned counsel also very fairly submitted that for the present, it will suffice if there is a direction to Managing Director, MSPDCL to consider and dispose of the said representation in this regard and added that PiL petitioners are not opposed to technological transition and are not wholly opposed to installation of Smart Prepaid Electricity Metres under RDSS. 2026:MNHC:131-DB P a g e 12 | 14 [13] In the light of the vastly descoped perimeter of captioned PiL and in the light of the limited prayer that learned counsel for PiL petitioner is making for the present, main PiL and captioned MC thereat were taken up with the consent of learned counsel on both sides particularly with the consent of learned State counsel dispensing with filing of affidavits-in-opposition and captioned PiL and MC thereat are being disposed of vide instant order. [14] In the light of the narrative and discussions thus far, the following order is made: (a) Managing Director of MSPDCL is Suo-moto added as R-5 in captioned PiL and MC and learned Additional Advocate General, Mr. S. Chittaranjan along with Mr. A. Priyokumar accept notice for R-5 also (Registry to make necessary and consequential amendment/s in case file and Registry to reflect the same in instant order before uploading in official website of this Court or furnishing certified copies of this order); (b) R-5 is directed to dispose said representation (representation dated 19.06.2026 which is scanned and reproduced supra) on its own merits and in accordance with law with reference to the lone grievance of the PiL petitioners i.e., grievance that non-compliance shall be 2026:MNHC:131-DB P a g e 13 | 14 treated a punishable offence under Electricity Act, 2003 and dispose of the representation as expeditiously as official business for R-5 would permit but in any event within 8 (eight) weeks from today i.e. on or before 08.09.2026; (c) disposal of said representation in the aforesaid manner (on its own merit and in accordance with law) by R-5 shall be by way of a written speaking order and the written speaking order shall be communicated to AMPCA at Wangkhei Meihoubam Lampak, Imphal East District, Manipur – 795001 under due acknowledgement within 5 (five) working days from the date of disposal; (d) on disposal of said representation in the aforesaid manner, if the PiL petitioners or any other person/s concerned with the matter is/are either not satisfied or aggrieved, it is open to such person/s to come to this Court or approach any other appropriate Fora in accordance with law as may be permissible. If such a scenario unfurls, this Court and/or any other competent Forum/Fora shall consider the matter on its own merits and in accordance with law untrammeled by instant order; (e) to be noted, for the present R-4 is only formal party. 2026:MNHC:131-DB P a g e 14 | 14 [15] Captioned PiL and MC thereat are disposed of as closed in aforesaid manner i.e., with afore-referred observations and directions. There shall be no order as to costs. JUDGE CHIEF JUSTICE FR/NFR Bipin P.S. I : Upload forthwith. P.S. II : All concerned will stand bound by web copy uploaded in High Court website inter alia as the same is QR coded. KHOIROM BIPINCHAN DRA SINGH Digitally signed by KHOIROM BIPINCHANDRA SINGH Date: 2026.07.14 20:35:36 +05'30'