The Consumer Grievance
Redressal Forum (CGRF) of BEST Undertaking formed in
June 2004 as per constituted under section 42 ( 5 )
of Electricity Act 2003, in accordance with the
Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission
(Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum and Electricity
Ombudsman) Regulations 2006, is functioning at the
following location
Address Details
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Address
for CGRF |
: |
Ground floor,
Multistoried Annexe
building,
BEST Colaba Depot,
Accommodation Rd.,
Colaba Mumbai- 400
001 |
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E-mail id |
: |
decgrf@cgrfbest.org.in |
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decgrf@bestundertaking.com |
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Nodal Officer |
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Shri S.G.Hirlekar
Deputy Chief Engineer ,Customer Care (South)
2nd floor,Electric House,
Colaba,Mumbai-400001
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Tel |
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91-022-22841675 , 22856262 Ext.503
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E-mail id |
: |
dceccs@bestundertaking |
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The name and telephone number of the members of
the CGR Forum is as follows.
A. OBJECTIVE OF ESTABLISHING THE CGRF
The objective of the CGR Forum is to facilitate and
expedite the redressal of grievances of consumers
and offer remedy in the event of failure or delay on
the part of the BEST Undertaking in redressing their
grievances.
B. PROCEDURE FOR REDRESSAL OF GRIEVANCES IN BEST
CGRF
The procedure given below is formulated in
accordance with Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory
Commission’s Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum &
Electricity Ombudsman Regulations, 2006.
1. Any electricity consumer of BEST having any
grievance is requested first to follow the Internal
Grievance Redressal Procedure (IGR) of BEST.
1.1 If, after going through the Internal Grievance
Redressal Cell Procedure, the consumer is not
satisfied with the remedy or no remedy has been
provided by the IGR Cell to his/her grievance within
a period of two months, she/he can approach the
Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF).
2. The grievances must be submitted in writing to
the Forum in the format given as
“Schedule A”. In case of any
difficulty in filling-in the form, the Forum shall
render all reasonable assistance orally to the
person making the Grievance.
2.1 The Grievance may also be lodged by registered
post acknowledgement due, by speed post or by
courier service or by any other means of
transmission of documents (including FAX message).
2.2 The Grievances may also be submitted in
electronic form set out in
Schedule A. It is to be
ensured that all the enclosures to such Grievance
submitted in electronic form shall be submitted in
scanned form.
3. The Forum shall send an acknowledgement of
receipt of Grievance to the consumer bearing a
serial number and date within five (5) working days
from the date of receipt of a Grievance. Where the
Grievance has been submitted in person, the
acknowledgement shall be provided at the time of
submission.
3.1 If the Grievance is submitted by email to the
Forum, acknowledgement of the receipt of the
Grievance to the consumer will be provided by return
email as promptly as possible. If the Grievance is
submitted by email, hard copies of the same shall be
submitted forthwith separately to the Forum.
4. The Forum shall intimate the applicant who has
submitted the Grievance, the date of hearing of the
Grievance in writing, giving sufficient advance
notice. The Forum shall also forward to the
applicant, copy of comments on the grievance
received and all documents related to the Grievance
received from the concerned department/section of
BEST.
5. The applicant who
has submitted the Grievance or any other person who
is a party to any proceedings before the Forum may
either appear in person or authorise any person
other than an Advocate (within the meaning of the
Advocates Act, 1961) to present his case before the
Forum.
6. In case the applicant or any other person who has
been a party to the proceedings before the Forum
fails to appear on the date of hearing, the Forum
may decide the Grievance in absence of that person.
The Forum may consider postponing the date of
hearing if sufficient cause is shown by either
party.
7. After considering the Grievance submitted by the
consumer, issue-wise comments on the Grievance
submitted by BEST, all other records available, the
Forum shall complete the complaint as expeditiously as
possible and every endeavor shall be made by the
Forum to pass appropriate order, on the Grievance
for its redressal within a maximum period of two (2)
months from the date of receipt of the Grievance by
the Forum.
8. If the consumer is not satisfied with the order
of the Forum, he/she may approach Electricity
Ombudsman for redressal of his Grievance within
sixty (60) days from the date of the order of the
Forum in prescribed format (Schedule B)
C. GENERAL CONDITIONS FOR ADMISSION OF GRIEVANCE
TO THE FORUM
1. Generally, a Grievance will be admitted by the
Forum only when the consumer is aggrieved on account
of his Grievance not being redressed by the IGR Cell
within two months of his grievance registered with
the Cell. However, a Grievance may be admitted by
the Forum before the expiry of the period of two
months, if the consumer satisfies the Forum, that
the BEST Undertaking has threatened or is likely to
remove or disconnect the electricity connection,
provided that the Forum has jurisdiction on such
matters.
2. The Forum shall not admit any Grievance unless it
is filed within two (2) years from the date on which
the cause of action has arisen.
3. The Forum shall entertain a Grievance only:
(a)If the consumer has complied with the procedure
under IGR and has submitted his Grievance in the
specified form, i.e., Schedule A, to the Forum;
(b)If the consumer is aggrieved on account of his
Grievance being not redressed by the IGR Cell within
the period of two months.
(c)If the Forum is satisfied that the Grievance is
not in respect of the same subject matter that has
been settled by the Forum in any previous
proceedings; and
(d)If a representation by the consumer, in respect
of the same Grievance, is not pending in any
proceedings before any court, tribunal or arbitrator
or any other authority, or a decree or award or a
final order has not already been passed by any such
court, tribunal, arbitrator or authority.
4. The grievances falling in the following category
are not in the jurisdiction of the Forum :
(a) Unauthorized use of electricity as provided
under section 126 of the Electricity Act 2003;
(b) Offences and penalties as provided under
sections 135 to 139 of the Electricity Act 2003;
(c) Accident in the distribution, supply or use of
electricity as provided under
section 161 of the Electricity Act 2003; and
(d) Recovery of arrears where the bill amount is not
disputed.
5. The Forum may reject the Grievance at any stage
after giving an opportunity of being heard if it
appears to it that the Grievance is:
(a) frivolous, vexatious, malafide;
(b) without any sufficient cause;
(c) there is no prima facie loss or damage or
inconvenience caused to the consumer;
For further information, please refer MERC’s MERC
(Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum & Electricity
Ombudsman) Regulations, 2006 on MERC’s web site
www.mercindia.org.in
You may download
Annexure 'C'
(for approaching Internal Grievance Redressal Cell),
Schedule 'A'
(for approaching Forum)
Schedule 'B'
(for approaching Ombudsman).
Please note theft and tampered meter cases will
not be heard at “ Forum” in line with the clause 6.8
(a) and (b) of MERC (CGRF and Electricity Ombudsman)
Regulations, 2006.
Consumer may visit
www.consumerhelpline.in Website for
information |
