The Jharkhand High Court has directed the Jharkhand Bijli Witran Nigam Limited (JBVNL) to restore electricity to a Ranchi resident, which was without electricity for more than 60 days despite paying all dues and reconstruction fees.
In its judgment, the High Court said that a citizen could not withdraw the essential services such as electricity after fulfilling their legal obligations, and state officials should act decisively to protect personal rights.
The petitioner, Santosh Sharma, a resident of Ranchi, transferred to the High Court after repeated efforts to search for the prevention through JBVNL, local police and administrative officials. His power supply was cut off in March 2025.
In the next two months, Sharma said that he paid around Rs 68,000 in several installments to clean all the dues, but his electricity was not restored.
In court, JBVNL admitted that there was no pending arrears, but claimed that its workers were unable to re -add the line due to “obstruction by outsiders” over the land dispute associated with the neighbors.
The single bench of Justice Gautam Kumar Chaudhary noticed that “a third party could not interfere in the restoration of connection”, and directed the district administration to assist the power board in ensuring re -combination within two days.
Talking to the Indian Express, Sharma said that despite paying more than Rs 68,000 in the arrears, our electricity was cut from March-end to June. “We tried every route, from police to RTI from the office of the Chief Minister, but it was only after the intervention of the High Court that Hope returned. Still, people are hindering joining again. Isn’t there the fundamental right to keep electricity in your house?” He said.
The story continues below this advertisement
He said, “My children could not study, we spent all these nights in hot heat, and even basic rights like storage of food or bringing water became a daily struggle. It seemed as if we were being punished despite doing anything wrong,” he said.
Sharma’s lawyer, advocate Mihir Kunal Ekka, who argued the case, said that delay and harassment directly violated constitutional security. “I received the court orders on a very first hearing. The petitioner had approved all the dues, yet the workers of JBVNL were being blocked by the local people citing an unrelated land dispute. The court correctly ordered that such third-party intervention could not be used to deny electricity, which is an essential service that would be a necessary service.”
Even after the court’s directive, the residents allegedly attempted to block the re -combination on Tuesday evening, forcing JBVNL officials to return despite the presence of the police.
,
