<p>Bengaluru: The High Court on Wednesday rejected two petitions against the mandatory installation of prepaid smart meters for electricity connections. </p>.<p>Justice M Nagaprasanna noted that a PIL petition raising similar issues was pending before a division bench of the high court.</p>.<p>The petitions were filed by M Jayalakshmi and P M Harish, residents of Doddaballapur. They challenged a communication from Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) on the mandatory installation of smart meters. They pointed out that in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, a smart meter installation would cost Rs 900, compared to Rs 8,900 in Karnataka. </p>.<p>Justice Nagaprasanna had reserved his verdict on both petitions on July 22. </p>.<p>“The perusal of the contents of the petition, particularly filed by one P M Harish, would depict that it is verbatim similar with changes in some paragraphs to the writ petition pending before the division bench, albeit filed in public interest. All the contentions that are now urged before this court are the grounds that are urged in the pending writ petition before the division bench barring a few which also would touch upon the pending proceedings,” he noted. </p>.<p>The court further said: “In the light of the identical issues and proceedings pending before the division bench, judicial discipline demands, hierarchy and propriety requires that this court shows judicial hands off to the present petitions. Therefore, this subject petitions are not entertainable in the light of the aforesaid reasons. Advocate General has undertaken during these proceedings that the respondents would not insist upon installation of smart meters at the residential premises, if any, of these petitioners in both these cases as they are not new installations. In that light, these petitions are rejected.” </p>.<p>On April 25, Justice Nagaprasanna had passed an interim order restraining Bescom and the government from mandating smart meters for power supply/electricity connections, as opposed to Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (Pre-paid Smart Metering) Regulations, 2024. </p>
<p>Bengaluru: The High Court on Wednesday rejected two petitions against the mandatory installation of prepaid smart meters for electricity connections. </p>.<p>Justice M Nagaprasanna noted that a PIL petition raising similar issues was pending before a division bench of the high court.</p>.<p>The petitions were filed by M Jayalakshmi and P M Harish, residents of Doddaballapur. They challenged a communication from Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) on the mandatory installation of smart meters. They pointed out that in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, a smart meter installation would cost Rs 900, compared to Rs 8,900 in Karnataka. </p>.<p>Justice Nagaprasanna had reserved his verdict on both petitions on July 22. </p>.<p>“The perusal of the contents of the petition, particularly filed by one P M Harish, would depict that it is verbatim similar with changes in some paragraphs to the writ petition pending before the division bench, albeit filed in public interest. All the contentions that are now urged before this court are the grounds that are urged in the pending writ petition before the division bench barring a few which also would touch upon the pending proceedings,” he noted. </p>.<p>The court further said: “In the light of the identical issues and proceedings pending before the division bench, judicial discipline demands, hierarchy and propriety requires that this court shows judicial hands off to the present petitions. Therefore, this subject petitions are not entertainable in the light of the aforesaid reasons. Advocate General has undertaken during these proceedings that the respondents would not insist upon installation of smart meters at the residential premises, if any, of these petitioners in both these cases as they are not new installations. In that light, these petitions are rejected.” </p>.<p>On April 25, Justice Nagaprasanna had passed an interim order restraining Bescom and the government from mandating smart meters for power supply/electricity connections, as opposed to Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (Pre-paid Smart Metering) Regulations, 2024. </p>