1. Short Title, Commencement, Definitions and Interpretations.

Short Title and Commencement.
1.2 These Regulations shall be applicable to all distribution licensees in the areas.
1.3 These Regulations shall come into force from the date of their notification in the Official Gazette.
1.4 These Regulations shall be construed harmoniously with the standards of performance of the distribution licensees and the Electricity Supply Code specified by the Commission under the provisions of Clauses (x) and (za) of sub-section (2) of Section 181 of the Act. In case of any inconsistency with these Regulations, the standards of performance of the distribution licensees and the Electricity Supply Code shall prevail.
Definitions.
(a) 'Act' means the Electricity Act, 2003 (36 of 2003) and its amendments;
(b) 'Area of supply' means the area within which a distribution licensee is authorized by his/her/their licence to supply electricity;
(c) 'Chairperson' and 'Member' means the Chairperson and Member of the Forum;
(d) 'Commission' means the Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission;
(e) 'Complainant' means-
(i) a consumer of electricity supplied by the licensee including applicants for new connections;
(ii) any voluntary consumer association registered under the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956) or under any other law for the time being in force;
(iii) The Central Government or the State Government – who or which makes the complaint;
(iv) one or more consumers, where there are numerous consumers having the same interest;
(v) in case of death of a consumer, his legal heirs or representatives.
(f) 'Complaint' means any grievance made by a complainant in writing on: -
(i) defect or deficiency in electricity supply or service provided by the licensee;
(ii) unfair or restrictive trade practices of licensee in providing electricity services;
(iii) charging of a price in excess of the price fixed by the Commission for supply of electricity and allied services;
(iv) errors in billing;
(v) erroneous disconnection of supply;
(vi) electricity services which are unsafe or hazardous to public life in contravention of the provisions of any law or rule in force; or
(vii) any other grievance connected with the supply of electricity by the licensee to the consumers except grievances arising under Sections 126, 135 to 139, 143, 152 and 161 of the Act. :
(g) 'Consumer' means consumer as defined in Section 2(15) of the Electricity Act, 2003;]
(h) Defect or 'Deficiency' means any fault, imperfection, shortcoming or inadequacy in the quality, nature and manner of performance, which is required to be maintained under any law for the time being in force or has been undertaken to be performed by distribution licensee in pursuance of a contract agreement or otherwise 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;
(i) 'Distribution system' means the system of wires and associated facilities between the delivery points on the transmission lines or the generating station terminal in the absence of transmission lines and the point of connection to the installation of the consumers;
(j) 'Electricity Ombudsman' means an authority to be appointed or designated by the Commission, under subsection (6) of Section 42 of the Act and these Regulations.
(k) 'Electricity Service' means in particular and without prejudice to the generality of the term, electricity supply, metering, billing, maintenance of supply, maintenance of distribution system and all other attendant sub service, etc;
(l) 'Forum' means 'Forum for redressal of grievances of consumers' to be constituted by the distribution licensee in terms of sub-section (5) of Section 42 of the Act and these Regulations.
(m) 'Grievance' means any fault, imperfection, shortcoming or inadequacy in the quality, nature and manner of performance which has been undertaken to be performed by a distribution licensee in pursuance of a licence, contract, agreement or under the Electricity Supply Code or in relation to standards of performance of distribution licensees as specified by the Commission and includes billing disputes of any nature and matters related to safety of the distribution system having potential of endangering of life or property.
(n) 'Licensee' means a distribution licensee authorized to operate and maintain a distribution system for supplying electricity to the consumers in his area of supply and shall include the deemed distribution licensee under the provisions to Section 42 of the Act.
(o) 'Representation' means the representation made to the Ombudsman by the complainant in person or on behalf of such a complainant who is aggrieved by the outcome of the Forum's proceedings in respect of his/her grievance (including not issuing the order within the specified time limit, dissatisfaction with the order issued, partial or full dismissal of the grievance)
1.6 Words and expressions used and not specifically defined in these Regulations but defined in the Electricity Act, 2003 shall have the meaning assigned to them in the Act. The other words and expressions used herein but not defined in these Regulations or in the Act but defined under any law passed by the Parliament applicable to electricity industry in the State shall have the meaning assigned to them in such law.