1. Who can submit a complaint to CGRF and Ombudsman ?

• Any consumer of electricity supplied by the licensee
• Applicants for new connections
• Voluntary electricity consumer associations/forums/other body corporate or group of electricity consumers

2. Who is a Consumer ?

• Any person who is supplied with electricity or connected to the lines for his own use
• or a person whose electricity supply is disconnected by a licensee
• or the person who has applied for connection for receiving electricity from a licensee

3. What is meant by a Complaint ?

Any grievance made by a complainant in writing on:

• Defect or deficiency in electricity service provided by the Licensee
• Unfair or restrictive trade practices of licensee in providing Electricity services
• Charging of a price in excess of the price fixed by the Commission for supply of electricity and allied services
• Errors in billing
• Erroneous disconnection of supply
• Electricity services which are unsafe or hazardous to public life in contravention of the provisions of any law or rule in force or

Any other grievance connected with the supply of electricity by the licensee Except those related to the following:

• Unauthorized use of electricity as provided under Section 126 of the Act; (artificial / unauthorized means, tampered meter, unauthorized purpose / extension)
• Offences and penalties as provided under Sections 135 to 139 of the Act (theft of electricity, material etc)
• Accident in the distribution, supply or use of electricity under Section 161 of the Act.

4. What is meant by Defect ?

• Any fault, imperfection or shortcoming in the quality, quantity, purity or standard of service, equipment or material in relation to electricity service shall be considered as defect in service.

5. What is meant by Deficiency ?

• Any fault, imperfection, shortcoming or inadequacy in the quality, nature and manner of performance, in relation to electricity service or performance standard .
• Violations of Electricity Supply Code, contraventions of Act, Rules or Regulations made there under with regard to consumer interest Electricity Service means Electricity Supply, metering, billing, maintenance of supply, maintenance of distribution system and all other attendant sub Services.

6. Consumer Awareness

• The bills issued by the licensee to the consumers shall contain the address of the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum. Also the following statement shall be printed on the Bills : Complainants whose grievance is not redressed by the official of the licensee may approach the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum, and Ombudsman thereafter .

7. CGRF Procedures

Every grievance lodged with the Forum shall be preferably in the Format given in Annexure II of APSERC CGRF and Electricity Ombudsman Regulations, 2015 .This Application shall be submitted at the nearest EE's or AE's or JE's office or at the complaint receiving centres in person or through post, e-mail or fax. CGRF shall issue orders within a period of 2 months from the date of admission. CGRF may order

• to redress the grievance of the complainant; and/or
• to pay such amount as may be awarded as costs to the consumer.
• Any Complainant aggrieved by the order made by the Forum may make a representation against such order to the Ombudsman, within a period of thirty days from the date of receipt of the order.

8. The Ombudsman shall hear appeals

• Appeal has to be made as per the format given in Annexure- IV of APSERC CGRF Regulations, 2015. Copies of the complaint filed with the CGRF, verdict of CGRF and all the related documents should be attached with it. The Ombudsman shall be the Authority to receive and consider the representations against the orders of the CGRF .He shall try to facilitate their settlement by agreement through mediation between the licensee and complainant. If that is not possible he shall issue orders on the Appeal after hearing both the parties and verifying all the relevant records .He shall issue orders based upon the Act and the regulations and keeping the principles of natural justice.

9. Disposal of Appeal Petitions by Ombudsman

• The Ombudsman has the power to call for any records which is found relevant in the case. He shall not consider the appeal if the same subject matter had been settled by the Ombudsman in any previous proceedings or if the same grievance by the Complainant is pending in any proceedings before any court, tribunal or arbitrator or any other authority, or a decree or award or a final order has already been passed by any such court, tribunal, arbitrator or authority. The Ombudsman has to issue verdict within a period of 3 months from the date of receipt of the representation. The Ombudsman shall observe the rules of natural justice, and may evolve its own procedures for disposing the Petitions.
• The Ombudsman shall pass a speaking order with detailed reasoning that he thinks fair under the facts and circumstances of the representation. The distribution licensee shall comply with the orders of the Ombudsman. There are no Fees for the Petitions and appeals. No stamp duty or other costs. The Petitioner himself or any representative can appear before CGRF and Ombudsman. Advocates need not be engaged in all the cases.