Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) normally conducts meter reading of its consumers on a fixed date every month and a bill is provided charging for electricity consumption. Different slabs identified for each customer e.g. normal units allowed on which lesser rate and over and above again different slabs with higher and higher rates. Although this normal units allocation is also not properly identified on average consumption say six months or so. The units so fixed  are years old which ultimately results in higher charges. That's more or less accepted by consumer in order to avoid protracted correspondence, visits.

Due to COVID 19, the Government of India declared lock down all over India from 24th March 2020 and extended two more times which is scheduled to last till 17th May 2020. The state Government of Karnataka declared some relaxation with effect from 4th May 2020 which resulted in commencement of meter reading. 

In viewew of above lock down no meter reading taken place in April 2020.  The customers were asked to pay the digitally shown bills which are based on previous month reading i.e. prior to 24th March Accordingly2020. Accordingly the customers paid the bills.

Now that meter reading is being carried out and exhorbitant  bills are generated due to ignoring the fact that the bill is for two months whereas the slabs units allowed is as that of a normal month. For example a customer's bill on actual reading in March is Rs. 680/- and same amount was paid in April based on previous month reading. Now on April 6 bill is generated for Rs.1089/-. Please note there is no abnormal use but only because of faulty billing as explained earlier. Clearly the Bescom  billing is  incorrect.  As the  two months reading they must provide each slab at double the units in the slab. They are using the parameters of one month billing for two months consumption. This means that the whole of the second month consumption is charged at the higher rates of INR 6.75 and INR 7.80 per unit . The same for fixed charges . Bescom should recalculate the bills issued and give a ready reckoner for converting billed Units to fair bill amounts and withdraw the bills issued immediately. In case of payment of such incorrect bills by  law abiding, law fearing citizens/consumers, the excess amount paid to be credited and adjusted in future month bill. Since the meter readers are continuing with incorrect billing they must be asked forth with to properly generate the bills. Urgent action is required by the BESCOM authority to act and we urge to act accordingly in the interest of justice and also to avoid possible multiple litigation.