Forum for Redressal of Grievances of the Consumers

1. Every distribution licensee, shall within six months from the appointed date or grant of licence, whichever is earlier, establish a Forum for redressal of consumer grievances in accordance with these Regulations. The Forum shall be independent of the Licensee.

2. Forum shall consist of not more than three members including the Chairperson of the Forum. The Distribution licensee shall submit before the Commission , a panel of persons who are eligible according to the qualifications hereinafter prescribed and shall appoint only such persons as the Chairperson or members of the Forum whose names have been approved by the Commission .

3. No person shall be eligible to be appointed to the Forum within two years of his retirement if, immediately before such retirement , he has been in the service of a licensee or in the holding company or subsidiary of such holding company of a licensee

4. No person shall be appointed to the Forum or continue to be a member if he suffers from any of the disqualifications mentioned in Regulation 5 (2) or if he has reached the age of 67.

5. No persons shall be eligible to be appointed to the Forum unless he has the following qualifications:

   1. Chairperson of the Forum shall be a person possessing degree in electrical engineering ,having served not below the rank of Superintending Engineer and having experience in the distribution of electricity.

   2. One member shall be a person possessing degree in law and having at least 10 years of experience in legal matters ;
      Provided when the Chairperson of the Forum is unable to discharge the functions owing to absence, illness or any other cause, the member indicated in Regulation 4(5)(ii) shall discharge the functions of the Chairperson, until the day on which the Chairperson assumes office.

   3. Another member shall be a representative of a registered society or NGO/Consumer Organization having one of its main objectives as consumer protection , with at least 5 years of standing or alternatively the representing member should have five years of experience in consumer related matters .

6. Subject to clause (4) the term of the members of Forum shall be for a period of three years from the date of appointment/ nomination to the Forum.

7. The Licensee shall appoint/designate one of his officers not lower than the rank of Grade-II officer as full time Secretary to the Forum and shall also provide required supporting staff as approved by the Commission and office accommodation for functioning of the Forum.

8. The Chairperson of the Forum may instruct the Secretary to call for a meeting of the Forum to be held at such time and at such place as the Chairperson may direct.

9. All decisions of the Forum shall be on the basis of majority of the members present and voting.

10. The quorum for the Forum meeting shall be two and each member shall have one vote and in case of equality of votes on any issue or resolution, the Chairperson or as the case may be, the member of the Forum discharging the functions of the Chairperson under Regulation 4(5)(ii) presiding over the meeting shall, in addition, have a casting vote.

11. The Forum shall have sittings at the headquarters of the Forum or at any other place in the licensee’s area as may be decided by the Chairperson.

12. The licensee shall give wide publicity to the formation of the Forum and shall necessarily obtain a post box number to facilitate easy registration of grievances by consumers.

13. Distribution licensee may specify the salary/honorarium and other allowances payable to, and the terms and conditions of service of the Chairperson and members of the redressal Forum with the approval of the Commission.

14.  Every member of the Forum shall , before entering upon his office , make and subscribe to an oath in such manner and before such authority as the Commission may direct.

15. The licensee shall, for the purpose of appointment of the Chairman and the Members of the Forum , invite applications through public advertisement and after receipt of the applications, shall submit for approval of the Commission , a panel of at least three names against each post except for the post of the member representing NGO. All such actions shall be completed within one month from the occurrence of the vacancy. The licensee shall complete such process within a period of one month of the occurrence of the vacancy.

16. The address of the Forum shall be displayed at all the offices of the distribution licensee and wide publicity shall be given in their areas of operation.

1. No member shall be removed from office except in accordance with the provisions of this Regulation.

2. The licensee may , by order remove from office any member , if he –

   1. has been adjudged an insolvent;

   2. has been convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude;

   3. has become physically or mentally incapable of acting as such member;

   4. has acquired such financial or other interest as is likely to effect prejudicially his functions as a member;

   5. has so abused his position as to render his continuance in office prejudicially to the public interest;

   6. has been guilty of proved misbehaviour.

3. A member shall be liable to be removed from his office in the event of any of the disqualifications mentioned in sub-regulation (1) arising or being discovered:
   Provided that, no member shall be removed from his office of any ground specified in clauses (iv), (v) or (vi) of Sub-Regulation (2) unless the said member has, on an enquiry, held by any member or nominee of the Commission, concluded that such member ought, on such ground or grounds to be removed.

4. No member of the Forum shall be removed under this Regulation without prior approval of the Commission .In case an enquiry as specified in the proviso to the foregoing clause has been conducted, such approval shall be granted only after the Commission has considered the report of such inquiry.

1. Subject to fulfilment of the conditions of eligibility the members of the forum shall be eligible for reappointment for another term of three years and no further. Such appointment shall be made with the approval of the Commission.

2. Remuneration and other terms of office of the members shall not be varied to the disadvantage of the member after his appointment.

1. The Forum shall have the jurisdiction to entertain the complaints filed by the complainants with respect to the electricity services provided by the Distribution Licensee and to take up a matter suo-moto if the same fulfils the requirements specified in Regulation clauses (i) to (vi) of sub-regulation (f) of Regulation 3 .

2. The Forum shall entertain only those complaints where the complainant has approached the appropriate authority of the licensee as prescribed in the complaint handling procedure of the licensee approved by the Commission from time to time and either is not satisfied with the response of the licensee or there is no response within the time prescribed therein or within reasonable time:

   Provided that the no complaint shall be entertained unless it is filed before the Forum within three months from the date the consumer exhausted the remedy under the complaint handling procedure or when no action is taken by the authority prescribed in that procedure within the period prescribed therein, from the expiry of such period as aforesaid, which ever is earlier:

   Provided further that the Forum may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, entertain a complaint which does not meet the aforesaid requirements ;

3. The Forum shall not entertain a complaint if it pertains to the same subject matter for which any proceedings before any court, authority or any other Forum is pending or a decree , award or a final order has already been passed by any competent court , authority or forum or is frivolous or vexatious in nature ;

2. Every grievance to the Forum must be submitted in writing to the Forum stating;

(1) On receipt of the consumer grievance, the Secretary shall make an endorsement on the grievance subscribing his dated initial.

(2) Within 7 days of receipt of a consumer grievance, the Secretary shall send an acknowledgement to the applicant. Consumer grievances received shall be registered and serially numbered for each year, and shall referred be referred e.g. C.G. No. 1/2002, 2/2003 and so on. A copy of the grievance shall be forwarded simultaneously to the concerned officer of the licensee for redressal or to file objection if any in writing in case the licensee is not agreeable to the request of the complainant.

(3) The employee nominated / authorized in this regard by the licensee or the employee named in the complaint shall furnish the parawise comments on the grievance within 15 days from the date of receipt of the letter from the Forum, failing which the Forum shall proceed on the basis of the material available on record.

(4) The Forum may call for, any record of the licensee or from the complainant relevant for examination and disposal of the grievance and the parties shall be under obligation to provide such information , document or record as the Forum may call for .Where a party fails to furnish such information , document or record and the Forum is satisfied that the party in possession of the record is withholding it deliberately, it may draw an adverse inference.

(5) On receipt of the comments from the licensee or otherwise and after conducting or having such inquiry or local inspection conducted as the forum may consider necessary, and after affording reasonable opportunity of hearing to the parties , the Forum shall pass appropriate orders for disposal of the grievance, as far as possible , within 60 days of filing the complaint.

(6) The proceedings and decisions of the Forum shall be recorded and shall be supported by reasons. The decision/s of the Forum shall be based on the opinion of the majority members of the Forum present and voting. The order of the Forum shall be communicated to the Complainant and licensee in writing within 7 days. The licensee shall comply with the order of the Forum within 21 days from the date of receipt of the order.

(7) The Forum may, subject to the Regulations made by the Commission in this regard, award such compensation to the complainants as it considers just and appropriate in the circumstances of the case.

(8) The Forum may issue such interim orders pending final disposal of the complaint as it may consider necessary.

(9) Where the complainant or the licensee fails to appear before the Forum on the date fixed for hearing on more than two occasions , the Forum may decide the complaint ex-parte.

(10) The Forum may settle any complaint in terms of an agreement reached between the parties at any stage of the proceedings before it and there shall be no right of representation before the Ombudsman against such order.

(11) The Forum shall not be bound to follow the procedure prescribed in the Civil Procedure Code 1908(Act 5 of 1908). Subject to these Regulations the Forum may evolve procedure conforming to the principles of fair play and justice for efficient discharge of its functions.

(12) Any complainant aggrieved by orders of the Forum may prefer a representation before the Ombudsman appointed/designated by the Commission.

Every Order made by the Forum shall be a Reasoned Order and signed by the members conducting the proceedings. Where the members differ on any point or points, the opinion of the majority shall be the Order of the Forum. The opinion of the minority shall however, be recorded and form part of the Order.

Subject to the right of the representation before the Ombudsman specified in these Regulations, the Orders of the Forum shall be binding on the consumers and the licensee.

(1) The consumer and the licensee may obtain certified copies of the Orders, decisions, directions and reasons in support thereof given by the Forum in respect of the complaint.

(2) Any person may obtain copy of the Orders of the Forum subject to payment of such fee and after complying with such other terms, which the Forum may direct.

 (1) The Forum will keep a record of consumer grievances reported to it and the results thereof.

(2) The Forum shall submit a report on the number of complaints received, redressed and pending, every month to the Commission for the period of 1^st of the month to end of the calendar month and a copy shall also be forwarded to the distribution licensee.

The Commission shall designate or appoint a person to be known as Ombudsman to carry out the functions entrusted to him by the Act and these Regulations. The Commission may appoint more than one Ombudsman if so deemed necessary.

The office of the Ombudsman be located at such place as may be specified by the Commission. In order to expedite disposal of complaints, the Ombudsman may hold sittings at such other places within his area of jurisdiction as he may consider necessary.

The Commission shall provide secretariat and such staff to the Ombudsman as it may consider necessary. Without prejudice to any other arrangement that may be made, the Commission may also direct the distribution licensees to make available such staff for the Ombudsman as it considers necessary and the licensees shall promptly comply with such direction/order. The staff so provided for the Ombudsman shall work under his administrative control.

Without prejudice to any other arrangement, the salary and allowances to be paid to the Ombudsman and to the staff and all other expenses to be incurred in connection with his office and establishment shall be shared by the distribution licensees in such proportion as may be determined by the Commission.

(1) Any complainant, aggrieved by orders of the Forum may himself or through his authorized representative make a representation in writing to the Ombudsman.

(2) The representation shall state clearly:

(i) the name/s and address of the consumer/s, service connection number, category, the name of the local licensees’ office, against which the representation is made, the facts giving rise to the representation, the grounds thereof, the relief sought from the Ombudsman.

(ii) the name of the Forum, date of order or decision of the Forum shall, as the case may be, mentioned in or enclosed with the representation.

(3) No representation to the Ombudsman shall lie unless:  

(i) The consumer had, before making a representation to the Ombudsman approached the Forum constituted under Section 42(5) of the Electricity Act, 2003 for redressal of his grievance;

(ii) The representation is made within one month from the date receipt of the order of the Forum:

Provided that the Ombudsman may entertain a representation beyond one month on sufficient cause being shown by the person filing the representation that he had sufficient reasons for not filing the representation within the aforesaid period of one month.

(iii) The person filing the representation deposits an amount equal to one third of the amount assessed by the Forum in cash or by way of bank draft with the licensee and documentary evidence of such deposit is enclosed with the representation.

(1) After registering the representation the Ombudsman, within seven days of registration, shall call for records relating to the representation from the concerned Forum. The concerned Forum shall send the entire records within 7 days from the date of receipt of such notice to the office of the Ombudsman.

(2) The Ombudsman may determine the manner, the place, the date and the time of the hearing of the matter as the Ombudsman considers appropriate.

(3) The Ombudsman may hear the parties and may direct the parties to submit written statements of submissions in the matter.

(4) The Ombudsman shall pass a written order giving reasons for all his findings and award.

(5) The Ombudsman shall pass an award as early as possible but in any case, within three months from the date of receipt of the representation. Where there is delay in disposal of a representation within the said period of there months, the Ombudsman shall record reasons of such delay. A copy of the order or award shall be sent to the parties.

The award or the orders of the Ombudsman shall be final and binding on the parties.

For the purpose of carrying out his duties, Ombudsman shall have the same powers to call for records or information as are available to the Forum under Regulation 9(4)

If any difficulty arises in giving effect to any of the provisions of these regulations, the commission may, by general or special order, do anything, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Electricity Act 2003, which it considers necessary or expedient for the purpose of removing the difficulties.

(1) The Ombudsman shall send to the Commission, biannually, a report containing a general review of the activities of his office during the preceding six months and shall furnish such other information as the commission may direct.

(2) The Commission may, if it considers necessary in the public interest so to do, publish the reports of the Ombudsman in such consolidated form or otherwise as it deems fit.

(3) The Commission may by order provide for or clarify any matter on which no provision is made in these Regulations or the provision made is insufficient.

(4) The Forum and Ombudsman shall exercise such other powers as the Commission may, by order ,delegate from time to time.

(5) Chairman and Members of the Forum, the Secretary and the staff thereof , the Ombudsman and the staff thereof ,when purporting to act under any provision of the Electricity Act, 2003 or under any provision of these Regulations or directions or orders issued there under shall be deemed to be public servants within the meaning of Section 21 of the Indian Penal Code,1860 and Section 2 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 ,

(6) Subject to these Regulations, the Forum and the Ombudsman shall be guided by the principles of natural justice and shall have powers to Regulate their own procedure.

 Power to relax

The Commission may, in public interest and for the reasons to be recorded in writing, relax any provision of these Regulations.

Nothing in these Regulations shall be deemed to limit or otherwise affect the inherent powers of the Commission to make such orders as may be necessary for ends of justice or to prevent the abuse of process of the Commission.

 (1) Nothing contained in these regulations shall affect the rights and privileges of the consumers under any other law for the time being in force, including the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 (68 of 1986).

(2) Upon constitution of the respective Forums, the Grievance Redressal Officers nominated by the Commission under the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (Redressal of Consumers’ Grievances) Regulations, 2003 shall not entertain such complaint or grievance as the Commission may, by order, direct.

(3) The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (Redressal of Consumers’ Grievances) Regulations, 2003 shall stand repealed with effect from such date as the Commission may notify.