Madras High Court
Saira Banu vs The Assistant Engineer on 3 December, 2025
Author: N. Sathish Kumar
Bench: N. Sathish Kumar
W.P.No.39741 of 2024
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED : 03.12.2025
CORAM :
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE N. SATHISH KUMAR
W.P.No.39741 of 2024
and
W.M.P.No.43033 of 2024
Saira Banu ... Petitioner
Vs.
1.The Assistant Engineer,
TNEB, Madipakkam,
Chennai.
2.The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board,
Represented by its Chairman,
Anna Salai, Chennai. ... Respondents
Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India
for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus directing the 1 st respondent to forthwith
correct the defective meter, rectify the billing error and consequently, revise
the charges levied vide Bills dated 24.09.2024 and 19.11.2024 in respect of
Electricity Service Connection bearing No.09264666736 at Ground Floor in
No.9/14, Annai Indira Street, Gandhi Nagar, Nanganallur, Chennai – 61, in
accordance with law as sought vide representations dated 24.09.2024,
14.10.2024 and lastly on 29.11.2024.
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W.P.No.39741 of 2024
For Petitioner : Mr.I.Kowser Nissar
For R1 and R2 : Mr.L.Jaivenkatesh
Standing Counsel
ORDER
The petitioner seeks a direction to the 1st respondent to forthwith correct the defective meter, rectify the billing error and consequently, revise the charges levied vide Bills dated 24.09.2024 and 19.11.2024 in respect of Electricity Service Connection bearing No.09264666736 at Ground Floor in No.9/14, Annai Indira Street, Gandhi Nagar, Nanganallur, Chennai – 61, in accordance with law as sought vide representations dated 24.09.2024, 14.10.2024 and lastly on 29.11.2024.
2.It is the case of the petitioner that the petitioner's premises is bearing Electricity Service Connection No.09264666736 standing in the name of her husband. The bi-monthly consumption charges since February, 2023 is Rs.6,000/-. The petitioner is regularly paying the electricity charges to the 2nd respondent. However, the bill dated 23.09.2024 has been issued demanding an exorbitant amount of Rs.23,190/- which is against the average consumption amount. In this regard, the petitioner has given a Page 2 of 6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ( Uploaded on: 15/12/2025 06:25:42 pm ) W.P.No.39741 of 2024 st complaint before the 1 respondent on 24.09.2024 and thereafter, submitted a representation to the 1st respondent on 14.10.2024 requesting for Meter Relay Test. However, no action has been taken. Hence, the petitioner has come forward with the present writ petition.
3.Learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the consumption charges have been raised from Rs.6,000/- to Rs.33,461/- vide bills dated 24.09.2024 and 19.11.2024, however, the meter has not been properly tested nor replaced.
4.Whereas, the learned Standing Counsel appearing for the respondents would submit that the meter has been subjected to Meter Relay Test (MRT) and the test report clearly shows that, in fact, while taking the monthly reading, the Reader has wrongly entered the consumption units and amount in the Consumer Ledger contrary to what is originally found from the Meter during the test. As per the data obtained from the Meter, it is found that wrong entries have been made by the Reader in the Consumer Ledger for the months 05/2024, 07/2024 and 09/2024. Therefore, after regularising the wrong entries made by the Reader, the actual electricity charges has been demanded from the petitioner. The meter is running Page 3 of 6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ( Uploaded on: 15/12/2025 06:25:42 pm ) W.P.No.39741 of 2024 perfectly and it is in order. A copy of the report of MRT is also produced before this Court.
5.The report of the Meter Relay Test is not disputed by the other side and the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would also submit that the electricity has also been restored. In such view of the matter, since the meter is not found to be defective and it is in order and the actual data is also downloaded from the Meter by the respondents, the relief sought for by the petitioner is only academic. Therefore, I do not find any merit in this writ petition.
6.Accordingly, this writ petition is dismissed. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed.
03.12.2025 mkn Internet : Yes Index : Yes Speaking order : Yes Neutral Citation : Yes Page 4 of 6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ( Uploaded on: 15/12/2025 06:25:42 pm ) W.P.No.39741 of 2024 To
1.The Assistant Engineer, TNEB, Madipakkam, Chennai.
2.The Chairman, Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, Anna Salai, Chennai.
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