Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the state and Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission on a plea challenging the order proposing to revise the tariff.
The petition said, “it is evident from the orders issued by the government that the company started functioning with zero liability from November 1, 2013. When that is so, there cannot be tariff revision. Applications are pending for truing up of accounts for the year 2013-14 and 2014-15. When those applications are pending, it is the duty of the commission to consider the said applications and decide the same in accordance with law as permissible,” it said.
The petition argued that the consumers are penalised because of the imprudent decisions taken regarding the payment of salary, which is highest in the country and highest even in the state when compared to other establishments and government service.
If a tariff hike is given effect, the domestic consumers of the state will be prejudicially affected at a time when the hike is not sought for even by the Kerala State Electricity Board Ltd. The issue affects more than 80 lakh domestic consumers of the state, the plea said.
