LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) dismissed more than 400 petitions against receiving of quarter tariff adjustment surcharge in the electricity bills from industries.
On 25 November 2019,the single bench comprising Justice Ayesha A Malik dismissed the petitions filed by Ghani Global and others. After hearing arguments of all parties, the court had reserved the verdict which was announced on Monday.
Earlier, the petitioners’ counsel argued that the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) imposed quarter tariff adjustment surcharge for the first and second quarters – Jul-Sept 2018 and Oct-Dec 2018 – of fiscal year 2018-19, in the electricity bills.
They argued that the surcharge did not have any legal status as formation of NEPRA was not complete at the time of its imposing, adding that the post of NEPRA chairman was vacant. They pleaded with the court to set aside the surcharge as it did not have any legal status.
However, NEPRA and power distribution companies’ counsel opposed the petitions, saying that quarter tariff adjustment surcharge was imposed after fulfilling all requirements and it was uniformly implemented across the country.
