One of the main objectives of the Electricity Act, 2003 is protection of the interest and rights of electricity consumers. Availability of quality services and redressal of consumers grievances speedily, are the key issues addressed.
The office of the Electricity Ombudsman has been established as per sub-section (6), (7) and (8) of section 42 of the Electricity Act 2003, which reads as under:
"(6) any consumer, who is aggrieved by non-redressal of his grievances by forum for redressal of grievances, may make a representation for the redressal of his grievance to an authority to be known as Ombudsman to be appointed or designated by the State Commission.
(7) The Ombudsman shall settle the grievance of the consumer within such time and in such manner as may be specified by the State Commission.
(8) The provisions of sub-sections (5),(6) and (7) shall be without prejudice to right which the consumer may have apart from the rights conferred upon him by those sub-section “
The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) notified the Regulations known as the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (Forum for Redressal of Grievance of the Consumers and Ombudsman) Regulation, 2004, to provide the procedure to be followed in redressal of consumers grievances. The Commission evaluated effectiveness of the earlier Regulations based on experience and feedback from different sources and invited comments and suggestions from the Consumers, Consumers representatives, distribution licensees and Forums established by them and the Ombudsman. Based on comments and suggestions, the Commission made the new Regulations on 8th March, 2018 superseding the earlier Regulations of 2004.
