Electricity Theft: Himachal Pradesh HC Allows State Electricity Board MD To Withdraw Salary After Being Assured Of Concrete Steps [Read Order]

The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Tuesday modified its earlier order barring the Managing Director (MD) of the HP State Electricity Board from withdrawing his salary, and removed the embargo in view of concrete steps being taken to check electricity theft in the State.

It was on 8 May that the Court had expressed concern over inaction against officers who were either guilty of aiding electricity theft, or were negligent in curbing it in the State. It had then directed that the salary of the MD would not be released without the leave of the Court.

The Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Ajay Mohan Goel was now informed that steps were being taken against erring officials. It was further informed that an amount of Rs. 92 lakhs had already been recovered.

Besides, a Monitoring Committee had also been constituted to suggest the action that should be taken against senior officials, and flying squads units had been put together to monitor commercial establishments, more specifically at Dharamshala and Manali.

The submissions were made in the course of a suo motu petition initiated by the Court in January this year on the issue of illegal/ improper/ unauthorized use of electricity connections. The matter has now been posted on 26 June.