SHC directs energy dept to submit proposal for payment of KBA power bills

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the provincial energy department to come up with a proposal for the payment of a huge amount of outstanding electricity bills of the Karachi Bar Association (KBA).

The direction came on a petition of the KBA against non-payment of electricity bills of the association by the energy department. A counsel for the KBA Syed Haider Imam Rizvi submitted that the electricity bills of the bar association were not being paid by the energy department despite the fact that all the bar associations and bar councils’ power bills were paid by the energy department.

A division bench of the high court headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi after perusal of the reports submitted by the registrar of the court and energy department observed that all the electricity bills of various bar associations and bar councils’ offices within the province were being paid by the energy department, except the KBA.

The SHC observed that no reason had been given by the energy department regarding why the KBA was being treated differently from the rest of the bar associations and councils.

To a court query, the provincial law officer submitted that electricity was being provided to the KBA in their name on separate meters therefore such bills were not being paid by the energy department along with the bills of district courts in Karachi.

The bench observed that the excuse of the energy department was not acceptable for the reason that the electricity bills of any of the bar association and Sindh Bar Council’s offices situated within district courts and the high court in the province was being paid by the energy department.

The SHC observed that any of the bar associations situated within the precinct of the district courts or the high court had no independent propriety right or status of a separate consumer therefore the power consumption by the bar association was also part of consumption of the electricity within the court precincts.

The high court observed that installation of meters in the name of the KBA would not have any bearing or impediment towards payment of electricity consumed by the KBA along with the electricity bills of the district courts.

The SHC observed that the respondent could not give discriminatory treatment to the KBA and such issue shall be resolved by the energy department.

A provincial law officer and an official of energy department sought time to work out the modalities to overcome the technical issues if any with the K-Electric (KE) and arrange more funds from the Sindh government for the purpose of payments of the bills for electricity consumed by

the KBA.

The SHC directed the respondents to call a meeting of the officials concerned and come up with a clear proposal to make payments of huge amount of outstanding electricity bills against the KBA at any early date. The high court observed that in case of any financial constraint, payment in instalments could be considered, subject to approval by the KE.