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6. Since life must go on and random errors would always be there in any experimentation; the unknown harmonics would not deter us from accepting technological revolution.

7. Of the many discoveries which have revolutionised the world, discovery of the wheel and electricity find primacy. It is difficult to think of the world without electricity. It has become a basic necessity. The electoral slogan of Roti, Kapda Aur Makan stands replaced by the slogan Bijli, Pani Aur Sadak. Unfortunately, the primacy of electricity in the social life was not backed up with prudent economic policies. The magnitude of the problem can be gauzed from the fact that in the report submitted to the Government of India on 11.5.2001 by the expert group on settlement of the State Electricity Board Dues, para 3 of the report noted that dues of the State Electricity Board have accumulated to Rs. 41,473/- crores. Rehabilitation Scheme proposed was:

3. My measurement of KWH (Kilowatt Per Hour) is highly accurate.

4. I have a vast memory and can provide you with the past billing data.

5. I can be read with help of Meter Reading Instrument. This eliminates human errors in recording the transfer of data.

6. I display any of the following problems that may occur at your premises: (i) Earth Leakage, (ii) Problem with neutral and earth wire, (iii) Reverse energy flow, and (iv) Loose wire.

20. A domestic consumer has brought the present action alleging that he is the registered consumer in respect of electricity connection bearing K No. 2540 F 320018 having a sanctioned load of 15 KW. Petitioner states that on 26.4.2003 employees of the respondent came to his premises. Notwithstanding the fact that the existing electro mechanical meter was found in a perfect condition, it was replaced with an electronic meter. It is alleged that as per Rule 57 of the Electric Supply Rules, 1956, the meter was required to be checked before installation and had to conform to the relevant Indian Standard Specification. According to the petitioner ever since the meter was installed he started receiving inflated bills which was proof enough that the meter was faulty.

95. The answer to the 4th question, therefore, is that till regulations are framed under Section 55 of the Electricity Act, 2003, subject to adherence to the bids standards, distribution companies would have the authority to determine the specifications of a correct meter.

96. It would be unfair on my part to drop the curtains, having answered the 4 questions which were debated at the Bar. Why Counsel agreed that the real problem lies in the faulty wiring system in the buildings of the consumers. The problem is due to the reason that the new electronic meters have been designed in a manner that it can monitor both the phase and the neutral and calculate real average power based on larger of two currents in the current path through the energy meter. The electro mechanical meter was measuring the electricity only on the phase current. Due to said limitation of the electro mechanical meter, consumers could easily tamper with the neutral and thereby ensure that the meter does not correctly record the electricity consumed. Essentially, this new feature in the electronic meter is an anti-theft and anti-tampering feature. But the problem is that, under the old regime, where a building had more than one connection consumer was not ensuring that the two connections do not have a common neutral wire. Separate neutral wires for different connections require an extra length of cable to be utilised. Well, it made sense for a consumer to save some money on wire when a building was constructed, but this was prohibited even under the earlier regime, evidenced by Rule 59 of the Indian Electricity Rules, 1956. Sub-rule (1) of Rule 59 reads as under:-

102. But the electronic meter cannot be said to be faulty on this count. What is faulty is that the two consumers are having a common neutral and that the two consumers have not segregated their supply lines as required by the Rule 31 of the Indian Electricity Rules, 1956 and sectionalisation of the current paths through cut-outs and circuit breakers envisaged by Rule 59.

103. To some extent the blame must be shared by the distribution companies. They were aware of the problem. Evidenced by arguments of the learned Counsel for the respondent who very vehemently pointed out the cause of the problem. I see no reason why the respondents, firstly did not educate the consumer at whose premises electronic meter replaced the existing electro- mechanical meter and secondly for the reason the respondent did not compelled the consumer to provide circuit breakers and segregate his supply line by removing the intermixing of the neutral wires. The respondents could have notified such consumers that their supply would be disconnected if they did not, within a reasonable time to be specified by the respondent, did not remove the deficiencies in the circuit in their premises. This tough message would have been to the benefit of the consumers who would have ultimately, on spending a few thousand rupees to segregate the neutral phase, benefited due to technical advancement sweeping the electronic industry in the form of electronic meters.