LHC stays fixed charges on electricity bills

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has stayed fixed charges on electricity bills.

The petition, filed by nine companies, including Flying Paper Mills, was heard by Justice Muhammad Raza Shah Qureshi. The petition challenged the levy of fixed charges by the Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) on electricity bills. The petition named the federal government, Lesco and other relevant parties as respondents.

Advocate Khawaja Wasim Abbas represented the petitioners and argued that Lesco had imposed fixed charges on electricity bills without obtaining necessary approvals from the federal cabinet and National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), which are legally required. The petition also highlighted the exorbitant bills received by the petitioners, including a bill of Rs3.2 million despite no electricity usage, a bill of Rs5.7 million last month, and a current bill amounting to Rs15.6 million. The court has been requested to order Lesco to abolish the fixed charges.