In Brief
Jayasawals Neco Ltd, a power-intensive industrial consumer, challenged a determination fixing minimum monthly electricity charges at 10% of load factor for 2005-2006. The Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission had later abolished such minimum charges for similar consumers in subsequent years based on factual analysis. The Supreme Court held that abolition of minimum charges is not an abstract principle but depends on specific factual conditions and consumption patterns. It remitted the matter to the Commission to conduct proper factual analysis for 2005-2006, addressing whether the conditions precedent for exemption were satisfied, which the tribunal had failed to adequately examine.
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