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2.3. While so, the third respondent issued the impugned proceedings under the amended clause 17 of the Code and TNERC/SC/7-25, dated 18.03.2011, in proceedings No.A.E.E/E&M/O.Pudhur/Co.kattu/11-12/55, dated 09.06.2011, with a demand of immediate payment of a sum of Rs.16,577/- towards the portion of total arrears of Rs.11,77,036/-, payable by the above said liquidated company M/s.Raveendra Mills Ltd. to the Board and stating that if the said amount was not paid within 15 days, the electrical service connection to the premises would be disconnected. Aggrieved over the same, the petitioner has approached this Court by way of this Writ Petition.

12. Under these circumstances and in view of the above it is humbly prayed that the Hon'ble Court may be pleased to dismiss the above Writ Petition and thus render justice."

6. Learned counsel for the petitioners would contend that the impugned demand of a sum of Rs.16,577/- made by the third respondent from the petitioners was towards arrears of the erstwhile consumer and not of the petitioners; the petitioners are subsequent purchasers of the land from the auction purchaser; the petitioners have no direct nexus with the erstwhile consumer, which was a limited company that went on liquidation and the new service connections the petitioners obtained are for their residential purpose; the Notification of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission in No.TNERC/SC/7-25, dated 18.03.2011, and Clause 17 of the Code are not applicable to the petitioners, as they have no retrospective effect and, hence, the impugned order of the third respondent is ex facie illegal. He would rely on the following authorities :

7. On the other hand, learned Advocate General appearing for the respondents-Board would contend that an amount of Rs.11,77,036/- was due by M/s.Raveendra Mills as arrears of C.C.Charges; subsequent to the winding up of the company, the Official Liquidator was communicated by the Superintending Engineer, requesting to make arrangement for payment of the said arrears by a letter dated 07.12.2002; on 11.02.2003, the date on which the auction was conducted, the Official Liquidator was also informed of the arrears of C.C.Charges; in spite of the same, the arrears are not cleared to the Board; hence, the impugned demand notices are issued to the writ petitioners, who are now the owners of the premises in question, under Clause 17 of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Supply Code and TNERC Notification No.TNERC/SC/7-25, dated 18.03.2011, and, therefore, the said demand notices are perfectly in order and not to be interfered with. He would cite the following decisions :

10. The writ petitioners purchased the plots of the said layout from the said Tamilmani for a valuable consideration, obtained necessary approval from the local authority and constructed houses. They also applied to the third respondent for service connections and their houses were provided with the said connections, after the compliance of all requirements, such as payment of requisite fee and other charges. The service connections were provided by the respondents adhering to the rules and regulations of The Tamil Nadu Electricity Supply Code. The writ petitioners have also no arrears of tax or charges to be paid for the said connections. Be that as it may, the third respondent issued the impugned proceedings under the amended clause 17 of the Code and TNERC/SC/7-25, dated 18.03.2011, in proceedings No.A.E.E/E&M/O.Pudhur/Co.kattu/11-12/55, dated 09.06.2011, with a demand of immediate payment of a sum of Rs.16,577/- towards the portion of total arrears of Rs.11,77,036/-, payable by the above said liquidated company M/s.Raveendra Mills Ltd. to the Board and stating that if the said amount was not paid within 15 days, the electrical service connections to the premises would be disconnected. The said act of the third respondent has provoked the writ petitioners to file these Writ Petitions.