Section 49C in Indian Electricity (Andhra Pradesh Amendment) Act, 2000
49C. Constitution of Special Tribunals. - (1) For the purpose of providing for speedy trial, the State Government shall with the concurrence of the Chief Justice of the High Court, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify for a District or Districts, a Court of District and Sessions Judge to be Special Tribunal to try the offences under this Act and determine the compensation to be awarded to the Electricity utility where the compensation to be awarded is upto the value of rupees five lakhs :
Provided that if, in the opinion of the Special Tribunal any case brought before It is a fit case to be tried by the Special Court, it may, for reasons to be recorded by it, transfer the case to the Special Court for its decision in the matter.(2)An appeal shall lie from any judgment or order, not being interlocutory order, of the Special Tribunal, to the Special Court, Every appeal under this subsection shall be preferred within a period of sixty days from the date of judgment or order of the Special Tribunal:Provided that the Special Court may entertain an appeal after the expiry of the said period of sixty days, if it is satisfied that the appellant had sufficient cause for not preferring the appeal within the period of sixty days.(3)Every finding of the Special Tribunal with regard to any alleged act of theft of energy shall be conclusive proof of the fact of theft of energy and shall be binding on the person or consumer concerned.(4)It shall be lawful for the Special Tribunal to pass an order in any case decided by it awarding compensation in terms of money for theft of energy which shall not be less than an amount equivalent to twelve months assessed quantity of the energy committed theft of at three times of tariff rate applicable to the consumer or person as per guidelines prescribed by State Government form time to time and the amount of compensation so awarded shall be recovered as if it were a decree of a Civil Court:Provided that the Special Tribunal shall, before passing an order under this sub-section, give to the consumer or person an opportunity of making his representation or of adducing evidence, if any, in this regard and consider every such representation and evidence.(5)Any case pending before any Court or other Authority immediately before the commencement of the Indian Electricity (Andhra Pradesh Amendment) Act, 2000, as would have been within the jurisdiction of a Special Tribunal shall stand transferred to the Special Tribunal, having jurisdiction as if the cause of action on which such suit or proceeding is based had arisen after such commencement.(6)Every case brought before the Special Tribunal shall be disposed of finally by the Special Tribunal, as far as possible, within a period of six months form the date of its having been brought before it.(7)Notwithstanding anything contained in Section 260 or Section 262 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, every offence punishable under this Act, shall be tried in a summary way by the Special Tribunal and the provisions of Sections 263 to 265 of the said Code shall as far as may be apply to such trial.
