The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (Guidelines For Establishment Of Forum For Redressal Of Grievances Of The Consumers And Ombudsman) Regulations, 2003

{
    "id": 27706,
    "slug": "delhi-electricity-regulatory-commission-guidelines-for-establishment-of-forum-for-redressal-of-grievances-of-the-consumers-and-ombudsman-regulations-2003-27706",
    "title": "The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (Guidelines For Establishment Of Forum For Redressal Of Grievances Of The Consumers And Ombudsman) Regulations, 2003",
    "short_title": "The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (Guidelines For Establishment Of Forum For Redressal Of Grievances Of The Consumers And Ombudsman) Regulations, 2003",
    "act_number": "Published vide Notification No. 11(29)/DERC/2003-0",
    "act_year": 2003,
    "act_type": "STATE",
    "location": "Delhi",
    "law_status": "unknown",
    "enactment_date": "2026-03-11",
    "description": "The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (Guidelines For Establishment Of Forum For Redressal Of Grievances Of The Consumers And Ombudsman) Regulations, 2003",
    "preamble": "",
    "section_label": "Section",
    "sections": [
        {
            "number": "1",
            "title": "1. Short title.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 0
        },
        {
            "number": "2",
            "title": "2. Commencement and application.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 1
        },
        {
            "number": "3",
            "title": "3. Definitions.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "(a) \"Act\" means the Electricity Act, 2003;\n(b) \"appointed date\" means 10th day of June, 2003;\n(c) \"chairperson\" and \"member\" shall mean the Chairperson of the Forum and the member, respectively and unless the context otherwise requires, the expression 'member' shall also include the Chairperson;\n(d) \"Commission\" means Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission;\n(e) \"complainant\" means\n(i) a consumer; or\n(ii) any consumer association registered under the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956) or under any law relating to registration of societies and/or Charitable institutions or under any other law for the time being in force; or\n(iii) One or more consumers, where there are numerous consumers having the same interest;\n(iv) In case of death of a consumer, his legal heirs or authorised representatives;\n(v) Any other person claiming through or authorised by or acting as agent for the consumer and affected by the services or business carried out by the distribution licensee.\n(f) \"complaint\" means any grievance in writing made by a complainant that\n(i) an unfair trade practice or a restrictive trade practice has been adopted by the licensee in providing electricity service;\n(ii) the electricity services hired or availed of or agreed to be hired or availed of by him suffer from defect or deficiency in any respect;\n(iii) a licensee has charged for electricity services mentioned in the complaint, a price in excess of the price fixed by the Commission;\n(iv) electricity services which are hazardous to life and safety when availed, are being offered for use to the public in contravention of the provisions of any law for the time being in force or of any license;\n(v) violation of any law or license requiring the licensee to display the information in regard to the manner or effect of use of the electrical services;\n(vi) Breach of any obligation by the licensee which adversely affects any consumer or which the Forum may consider appropriate to be treated as a complaint.\n(g) \"consumer\" means any person who is supplied with electricity for his own use by a licensee and includes any person whose premises are for the time being connected for the purpose of receiving electricity with the works of a licensee;\n(h) \"consumer grievance\" means a complaint/protest/objection filed by the complainant;\n(i) \"distribution licensee\" or \"licensee\" means one who is authorised to operate and maintain a distribution system for supplying electricity to the consumers;\n(j) \"defect\" means any fault, imperfection or shortcoming in the quality, quantity, or standard of service, equipment or material which is required to be maintained by or under any law for the time being in force or under any contract, express or implied, or under any license or as is claimed by the distribution licensee in any manner whatsoever in relation to electricity service;\n(k) \"deficiency\" means any fault, imperfection, shortcoming or inadequacy in the quality, nature and manner of performance which is required to be maintained by or under any law for the time being in force or under any license or has been undertaken to be performed by distribution licensee in pursuance of a contract or otherwise in relation to electricity service or performance standard; viz. Interruption/ failure of Power supply, Voltage complaints, metering problems including meter shifting, charges /payments (billing problems), disconnection/ reconnection of power supply to the consumer, new connections/ extensions in load, notice of supply interruptions, violations of Electricity Supply Code, contravention of Act, rules or regulations made thereunder with regard to consumer interest;\n(l) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the term the \"electricity service\" means supply, billing, metering & maintenance of electrical energy to the consumer and all other attendant sub-services etc.;\n(m) \"Forum\" means 'Forum for redressal of consumer grievances' constituted by distribution licensee under section 42(5) of the Act; (n) \"Ombudsman\" means an authority appointed/ designated by the Commission, under sub-section (6) of section 42 of the Act;\n(o) \"Commission\" means the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission; (p) Words and expressions used and not defined in these Regulations but defined in the Electricity Act, 2003 (36 of 2003) or in the Delhi Electricity Reforms Act, 2000 or in the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 (68 of 1986) shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in these Acts and in case of any conflict, the meaning assigned in the Electricity Act, 2003 shall prevail.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": true,
            "sort_order": 2
        },
        {
            "number": "4",
            "title": "CHAPTER I",
            "chapter": "CHAPTER I",
            "content": "Forum For Redressal Of Grievances Of The Consumers",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 3
        },
        {
            "number": "4",
            "title": "4. Constitution of forum for redressal of grievances of the consumers.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "(i) Chairperson of the Forum shall be a person possessing degree in electrical engineering, having served not below the rank of Superintending Engineer and having experience in the distribution of electricity;\n(ii) One member shall be a person possessing degree in law and having at least 10 years of experience in legal matters:\nProvided when the Chairperson of the Forum is unable to discharge the functions owing to absence, illness or any other cause, the member indicated in regulation 4(5)(ii) shall discharge the functions of the Chairperson, until the day on which the Chairperson assumes office.\n(iii) Another member shall be a representative of a registered society or NGO/Consumer Organization having one of its main objectives as consumer protection, with at least 5 years of standing or alternatively the representing member should have five years of experience in consumer related matters.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 4
        },
        {
            "number": "5",
            "title": "5. Removal of the members.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "(i) has been adjudged an insolvent;\n(ii) has been convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude;\n(iii) has become physically or mentally incapable of acting as such member;\n(iv) has acquired such financial or other interest as is likely to effect prejudicially his functions as a member;\n(v) has so abused his position as to render his continuance in office prejudicially to the public interest;\n(vi) has been guilty of proved misbehaviour.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 5
        },
        {
            "number": "6",
            "title": "6. Other conditions of appointment.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 6
        },
        {
            "number": "7",
            "title": "7. Jurisdiction of the Forum.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 7
        },
        {
            "number": "8",
            "title": "8. Grievance filing.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "(a) the name of the individual or the organization, postal address, K. No. and telephone number, fax number and the E-mail address (if any) of the complainant;\n(b) the name of the office of the origin of complaint, name of the electricity district etc.;\n(c) a full description of the matter, which is the source ohthe grievance, including copies of any relevant and supporting documents, if any;\n(d) the relief prayed for;\n(e) a statement that the matter is not pending before any other court, authority or Forum",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 8
        },
        {
            "number": "9",
            "title": "9. Grievance handling procedure for the Forum.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 9
        },
        {
            "number": "10",
            "title": "10. Reasoned Orders.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 10
        },
        {
            "number": "11",
            "title": "11. Orders of the Forum to be binding.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 11
        },
        {
            "number": "12",
            "title": "12. Inspection of records and supply of certified copies.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 12
        },
        {
            "number": "13",
            "title": "13. Monitoring of the consumer grievances by Forum.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 13
        },
        {
            "number": "15",
            "title": "CHAPTER II",
            "chapter": "CHAPTER II",
            "content": "Redressal Of Grievances By Ombudsman",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 14
        },
        {
            "number": "14",
            "title": "14. Appointment of Ombudsman.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 15
        },
        {
            "number": "15",
            "title": "15. Qualifications, terms of appointment and removal of Ombudsman.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "(b) Ombudsman shall be appointed from among such persons who have served at the level of the Secretary to the Govt. of NCT of Delhi or equivalent and in case of the persons having served in any public or private sector undertaking or an NGO, whose level of experience, in the opinion of the Commission, can be treated as comparable to the aforesaid.\n(c) No person shall be eligible to be appointed as Ombudsman within two years of his retirement if, immediately before such retirement, he has been in the service of a licensee or in the holding company or subsidiary of such holding company of such licensee.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 16
        },
        {
            "number": "16",
            "title": "16. Location of office and temporary headquarters.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 17
        },
        {
            "number": "17",
            "title": "17. Staff.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 18
        },
        {
            "number": "18",
            "title": "18. Expenses on Ombudsman.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 19
        },
        {
            "number": "19",
            "title": "19. Powers and duties of the Ombudsman.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 20
        },
        {
            "number": "20",
            "title": "20. Filing of representation before the Ombudsman.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "(i) the name/s and addresses of the Consumer/s, service connection number, category, the name of the local licensees' office, against which the representation is made, the facts giving rise to the representation, the grounds thereof, the relief sought from the Ombudsman.\n(ii) the name of the Forum, date of order or decision of the Forum shall be as the case may be, mentioned in or enclosed with the representation.\n(i) The consumer had, before making a representation to the Ombudsman approached the Forum constituted under section 42(5) of the Electricity Act, 2003 for redressal of his grievance;\n(ii) The representation is made within one month from the date of receipt of the order of the Forum:\nProvided that the Ombudsman may entertain a representation beyond one month on sufficient cause being shown by the person filing the representation that he had sufficient reasons for not filing the representation within the aforesaid period of one month.\n(iii) The person filing the representation deposits an amount equal to one-third of the amount assessed by the Forum in cash or by way of bank draft with the licensee and documentary evidence of such deposit is enclosed with the representation.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 21
        },
        {
            "number": "21",
            "title": "21. Procedure before the Ombudsman.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 22
        },
        {
            "number": "22",
            "title": "22. Finality of award.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 23
        },
        {
            "number": "23",
            "title": "23. Powers to call information.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 24
        },
        {
            "number": "24",
            "title": "24. Power to remove difficulties.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 25
        },
        {
            "number": "25",
            "title": "25. General.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 26
        },
        {
            "number": "26",
            "title": "26. Power to relax.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 27
        },
        {
            "number": "27",
            "title": "27. Inherent powers of the Commission.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 28
        },
        {
            "number": "28",
            "title": "28. Repeal and Savings.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 29
        }
    ],
    "metadata": {
        "Act ID": "dl038",
        "Act Number": "Published vide Notification No. 11(29)/DERC/2003-04/1265 dated 11th March, 2004",
        "Enactment Date": "11th March, 2004",
        "Act Year": "2003",
        "Short Title": "The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (Guidelines For Establishment Of Forum For Redressal Of Grievances Of The Consumers And Ombudsman) Regulations, 2003",
        "Type": "UNION_TERRITORY",
        "Location": "Delhi"
    },
    "updated_at": "2026-09-29 21:55:22"
}