Step to facilitate redressal of power consumers’ grievances
Watchdog to have jurisdiction over J&K, Ladakh UTs
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 17: In order to ensure timely redressal of grievances of power consumers, Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) for Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has started exercise to appoint Ombudsman and members of Consumer Grievances Redressal Forums (CGRFs) by the end of the next month.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that in exercise of powers conferred under Electricity Act, 2003 and Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020 notified by Government of India, the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission for the UTs of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh vide Notification dated March 1, 2023 made Consumer Grievances Redressal Forum, Electricity Ombudsman and Consumer Advocacy Regulations, 2023.
In these Regulations, enough thrust has been laid on the appointment of Ombudsman and establishment of Consumer Grievances Redressal Forums to look into the issues of the electricity consumers against Distribution Licensees.
Keeping in view these provisions of the Regulations, the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) has set into motion an exercise to appoint Ombudsman as well as members of Consumer Grievances Redressal Forums.
Applications have been invited from persons of integrity, repute and standing preferably in the electricity sector having experience in any of the areas—-Law, Management, Engineering, Finance, Economics, Commerce and Public Administration, who have served at the level of Joint Secretary to the Government of India or equivalent or as Additional District Judge or Superintending Engineer in the Government of India/State Government/State Public Utilities for the post of Ombudsman.
Similarly, applications have been invited from retired civil servant of Additional Secretary level of UT of J&K/Deputy Secretary level in Government of India or a retired Electrical Engineer not below the rank of Superintending Engineer having experience in the distribution of electricity for the posts of Independent Members in the Consumer Grievances Redressal Forums-one each for consumers of the Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (JPDCL), Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (KPDCL) and Ladakh Power Distribution Department (LPDD).
“The entire exercise is likely to be completed by ending next month when electricity consumers in both the Union Territories will have platforms to highlight their grievances against the Distribution Licensees”, sources said.
As far as Ombudsman is concerned, the appointment will be for a period of three years and extendable for another term not exceeding three years. However, the Ombudsman shall not hold office after he attains the age of 65 years, they said, adding Independent Members of the Consumer Grievances Redressal Forums will be appointed for a period of one year and shall be extendable up to further four years or till attaining the age of 65 years.
They said that Ombudsman will have the powers and duties to receive representations, consider such representations and facilitate settlement by agreement, through conciliation and mediation between the Licensee and complainant, and pass an order in accordance with these Regulations where such conciliation is not reached.
Moreover, the Ombudsman in the first instance will act as a counsellor and mediator in matters which are the subject matter of the representation and exercise general powers of superintendence and control over its office and will be responsible for the conduct of business. Ombudsman may also entertain a representation after the expiry of the prescribed period of 30 days, if the Ombudsman is satisfied that there is sufficient cause for not filing it within that period.
“In such cases the Ombudsman shall record the reasons for entertaining the representations in its order and upon request of the complainant, the Ombudsman may issue such interim orders at any stage during the disposal of the representation as it may consider necessary”, sources said, adding “the Ombudsman will have the powers to reject the representation at any stage if it appears to him that the representation is frivolous, vexatious, malafide; without any sufficient cause and there is no prima facie loss or damage or inconvenience caused to the complainant.
The decision of the Ombudsman in this regard will be final and binding on the complainant and the Distribution License: However, no representation will be rejected in respect of sub-clauses (a), (b) and (c) unless the complainant has been given an opportunity of being heard.
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