Section 21 in Haryana Distribution and Retail Supply Licence
21. Consumer Service.
- 21.1 Code of Practice on Payment of Bills(a)The Licensee shall, within six months after this licence has become effective, prepare and submit to the Commission for its approval a Code of Practice concerning the payment of electricity bills by Consumers and including appropriate guidance for the assistance of such Consumers who may have difficulty in paying such bills and procedures for disconnecting Consumers for non-payment. Upon receiving the Code of Practice, the Commission may hold consultations with Commission Advisory Committee and any body of persons which appears to the Commission to be representative of Consumers. In granting each approval, the Commission may make such modifications as it considers necessary in the public interest.(b)The Commission may, upon receiving a representation or otherwise, require the Licensee to review the Code of Practice prepared in accordance with Condition 21.1(a) and the manner in which it has been operated, with a view to determining whether any modification should be made to it or to the manner of its operation.(c)The Licensee shall, in consultation with such other persons as the Commission may direct, upon review submits any revision to the Code of Practice that it wishes to make to the Commission for its approval, including any representation received by the Licensee and not accepted by it. The Commission may modify the existing Code of Practice concerning payment of bill as its considers necessary.(d)The Licensee shall :(i)draw to the attention of Consumers the existence of the Code of Practice and each substantive revision of it and how they may inspect or obtain a copy of the Code of Practice in its latest form;(ii)make a copy of the Code of Practice revised from time to time available for inspection by members of the pubic during normal working hours; and(iii)provide free of charge a copy of the Code of Practice revised from time to time to each new Consumer and to any other person who requests it at a price not exceeding the reasonable cost of duplicating it.21.2Complaint Handling Procedure :(a)The Licensee shall within three months after this licence has become effective establish with approval of the Commission a procedure for handling complaints from Consumers about the manner in which the Licensee conducts its Distribution and Retail Supply Business. The Commission may after holding such consultations with the Commission Advisory Committee or a person or body of persons appearing to be representative of the interest of the consumers, as the Commission considers necessary, make such modification of the procedure, as it believes necessary in the public interest.(b)The Commission may, upon receiving a representation or otherwise, require the Licensee to review the complaint handling procedure prepared in accordance with Condition 21.2(a) and the manner in which it has been operated, with a view to determining whether any modification should be made to it or to the manner of its operation.(c)Any procedure established pursuant to this Condition 21.2, including any revisions to it, shall specify the periods within which it is intended that different descriptions of complaint should be processed and resolved.(d)The Licensee shall submit any revision proposed to be made to the procedure established in accordance with Condition 21.2(a) to the Commission for its approval.(e)The Licensee shall :(i)make a copy of the procedure, revised from time to time, available for inspection by members of the public at each of the relevant premises during normal working hours; and(ii)provide free of charge a copy of the procedure revised from time to time to each new Consumer, and to any other person who requests it at a price not exceeding the reasonable cost of duplicating it.21.3Consumer Rights Statement(a)Unless the Commission has framed regulations pursuant to Section 33 of the Act, the Licensee shall, within three months after this licence has come into force or such other time as the Commission may allow, prepare and submit to the Commission for approval a Consumer Rights Statement explaining to Consumes their rights as Consumers of the Licensee in its capacity as operator of its Distribution and Retail Supply Business. The Commission may, upon holding such consultation with the Commission Advisory Committee and such other persons or bodies of persons who the Commission considers as representing the interests of Consumers likely to be affected by it, make such modification of the statement, as it considers necessary in public interest.(b)The Commission may, upon receiving a representation or otherwise require the Licensee to review the Consumer Rights Statement prepared in accordance with Condition 21.3(a) and the manner in which it has been operated, with a view to determining whether any modification should be made to it or to the manner of its operation.(c)The Licensee shall submit any revision to the Consumer Rights Statement that it wishes to make to the Commission for its approval, including any representation received by the Licensee and not accepted by it. The Commission may modify the existing Consumer Rights Statement as it considers necessary in public interest.(d)The Licensee shall :(i)make a copy of the Consumer Rights Statement, revised from time to time, available for inspection by members of the public at each of the relevant premises during normal working hours;(ii)provide free of charge a copy of the Consumer Rights Statement, revised from time to time, to all new Consumers, and to any person who requests it at a price not exceeding the reasonable cost of duplication it; and(iii)distribute the statement in any other manner that the Commission may specify.
