Section 3 in The Regulations for Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum and Electricity Ombudsman, 2004
3. Constitution of forum(s) for redressal of consumer grievances.
(1)Every distribution licensee shall establish a forum or forums for redressal of grievances of the consumers in accordance with these Regulations.(2)A licensee may establish more than one forum so as to ensure that any consumer in the area of supply of the licensee shall not have to travel more than 100 Kilometres to submit his complaint with the forum for redressal. The concentration of the consumers in a particular area and the number of complaints expected to be received and the constraints of the forum in disposing of the complaint within the stipulated time-frame may also be taken into account to determine the places and the number of forums to be established.(3)The head office of the forum shall be at such place(s) as each distribution licensee may specify in accordance with the sub-clause 3 (2).(4)The forum shall consist of three members to be appointed by the distribution licensee with the following composition:(a)Chairperson of the forum shall be a full time officer of the licensee not lower in rank than the rank of Superintending Engineer.(b)One member shall be a person with 15 to 20 years experience in financial / legal profession and shall be nominated by the District Collector of the district where the forum is head quartered.(c)Another member shall be from a registered society of NGO or a consumer organization or a consumer activist and shall be nominated by the District Collector of the district where the forum is head quartered.(5)Every member of the forum except the Chairperson shall hold office for a term of three years and shall not be eligible for reappointment as such. Provided that no member shall hold office as such after he has attained the age of sixty-two years. The person occupying the designated post of the distribution licensee to act as Chairperson shall be deemed to be the Chairperson of the forum.(6)The quorum of the forum shall be two among the three members, which includes the Chairperson. The post of the members shall not be kept vacant for more than two months.(7)The honorarium for each sitting shall be decided by the Licensee subject to approval by the Commission and TA / DA and other allowances payable to the members shall be as applicable to Class I Officers of the State Government. [The Chairperson shall make use of his office space, secretarial staff and other facilities for efficient functioning of Forum. The members by virtue of their office shall not be entitled to claim any separate accommodation in the office premises of Chairperson or any separate secretarial staff and other facilities. The members of the forum may avail of the office premises of the Chairperson and the secretarial staff, only for the limited purpose of attending the sittings of the Forum on the days on which they are scheduled to be held and dictating the decisions of the forum to the secretarial staff appointed for the above purpose without causing any inconvenience or prejudice to the normal use of office premises and secretarial staff for discharging their normal functions.] [[Substituted by Commission's Notification No. TNERC/CGR&EO/6-1 dated 03.10.2005 (w.e.f 07.12.2005 ) before substitution stood as under:'The office space, secretarial support and other facilities required by members for efficient functioning of forum shall be provided by the distribution licensee.']](8)Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-clause 3 (5), a member (other than the Chairperson) may relinquish his office by giving in writing to the Licensee a notice of not less than two months.(9)Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-clause 3 (5), where the Commission is satisfied that in the public interest or for the reason of incapacity of any member, it is necessary so to do, it may for reasons to be recorded in writing remove any member from his office.
