Section 3(1) in Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (Consumer Grievances Redressal Forum and Ombudsman) Regulations, 2019
(1)In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires, -(a)"Act" means the Electricity Act, 2003 (36 of 2003);(b)"Annexure" means the annexure to these Regulations;(c)"Commission" means the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission for the State of Goa and Union Territories;(d)"Complainant"/Consumer means and includes(i)any electricity consumer or consumers including their legal heirs or successors, having a grievance/complaint against a licensee and lodging the same either directly or through their representatives, or(ii)any voluntary/registered consumer society/association or associations, registered under the law for the time being in force and making the complaints in the larger common or similar interest of the consumers, or(iii)any person whose electricity connection is disconnected, or(iv)an applicant for a new connection for the supply of electricity;(v)A consumer as defined under clause (15) of Section 2 of the Act(vi)Any unregistered association or group of consumers where they have common or similar interests;(e)"grievance" means, and includes any complaint, relating to any fault, imperfection, shortcoming or inadequacy in the quality, nature and manner of performance which has been undertaken to be performed by a licensee in pursuance of a license, contract, agreement or under the JERC Electricity Supply Code 2018 as amended from time to time or in relation to the Distribution Performance Standards of the licensees, as specified by the Commission, and includes billing disputes of any nature and matters related to safety of the distribution system having potential of endangering life or property; or a dissatisfaction of a Consumer arising out of failure of the licensee to register or redress a Complaint and shall include any dispute between the Consumer and the Licensee with regard to any complaint or with regard to any action taken by the licensee in relation to or pursuant to a complaint filed by the effected person.(f)"Complaint" means an application made by consumer before the forum seeking redressal of any grievance with regard to supply of electricity by the licensee;Provided that the following shall not be considered as the complaint namely,(i)any grievances arising out of application of Sections 126,127, 135 to 139, 142, 143, 149, 152 and 161 of the Act;(ii)any matter pending before, or decided by, any court of law, or authority (except an authority under the control of the licensee) or the Forum, and(iii)any complaint in regard to recovery of arrears where the billed amount is not disputed(g)"Forum" means the Forum for Redressal of Grievances of Consumers required to be established, by the distribution licensee, pursuant to sub-section (5) of section 42 of the Act and the guidelines contained in these Regulations;(h)"licensee" means a licensee authorized to operate and maintain a distribution system for supplying electricity to the consumers in his area of supply and includes a deemed licensee;(i)"Member" means the Member of the Forum and includes the Chairperson of the Forum;(j)"Electricity Ombudsman" means an authority appointed or designated by the Commission, under subsection (6) of section 42 of the Act, and these Regulations, with whom a representation may be made by any person, who is dissatisfied by the redressal or is aggrieved by the non-redressal of his grievances by the Forum;(k)"representation" means the representation made to the Ombudsman by a complainant, who is aggrieved by the order of the Forum (including the partial or full dismissal order), or non-redressal of his grievances by the Forum within the specified time or dissatisfaction with the order issued by the Forum or non-implementation of the Forum's order by the licensee within the specified time;(l)"time lines" means the time specified in Annexure-I or any other provisions of these Regulations for processing any complaint or representation made under these Regulations.(m)Consumer Dispute means a dispute where the Licensee or its representative against whom a complaint has been made, denies or disputes the allegations contained in the complaint.
