Chapter X Chapter X

Advisory Committee, Consumer Consultation

1. (1) The Commission shall, in consultation with the State Government, constitute a committee to be known as the Commission Advisory Committee, which shall consist of such number of persons, not being less than fifteen or more than twenty-one, as the Commission may appoint after consultation with such representatives or bodies representative of the following interests as the Commission thinks fit that is to say, holders of supply licences in the State, holders of transmission licences in the State, generating companies operating in the State, commerce, industry, transport, agriculture, labour employed in the electricity supply industry and consumers of electricity: Provided that there shall be at least one member representing each such interest on the Commission Advisory Committee.
2. (2) The Chairman and members of the Commission shall be ex-officio Chairman and members of the Commission Advisory Committee.
3. (3) The Commission Advisory Committee shall meet at least once in every three months.
4. (4) The functions of the Commission Advisory Committee shall be-
   • (a) to advise the Commission on major questions of policy; and
   • (b) to advise the Commission on matters relating to the quality, continuity and extent of service provided by licensees and compliance by licensees with the conditions and requirements of their licences.

1. (1) The Commission may, after consultation with the holders of supply licences, other persons or bodies appearing to the Commission to be representative of persons and categories of persons likely to be affected and the Commission Advisory Committee frame regulations prescribing-
   • (a) the circumstances in which licensees are to inform customers of their rights;
   • (b) such standards of performance in relation to any duty arising out of the rights referred to in clause (a), as the Commission considers appropriate; and
   • (c) the circumstances in which licensees are to be exempted from any requirements of the regulations and may make different provision for different licensees.
2. (2) Nothing in this Act shall affect the rights and privileges of the consumers under any other law including the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

1. (1) The Commission may, after consultation with licensees, the Commission Advisory Committee and with persons or bodies appearing to it to be representative of persons likely to be affected, from time to time-
   • (a) determine such standards of overall performance in connection with the provision of electricity supply services and in connection with the promotion of the efficient use of electricity by consumers as in its opinion is economical and ought to be achieved by such licensees; and
   • (b) arrange for the publication, in such form and in such manner as it considers appropriate, of the standards so determined.
2. (2) Different standards may be determined under this section for different licensees.

1. (1) The Commission shall, from time to time, collect information with respect to-
   • (a) the fines or penalties levied on licensees under this Act;
   • (b) the levels of overall performance achieved by licensees in connection with the transmission and provision of electricity supply services; and
   • (c) the levels of performance achieved by licensees in connection with the promotion of the efficient use of electricity by consumers.
2. (2) On or before such date in each year as may be specified in a direction given by the Commission, each licensee shall furnish to the Commission the information with respect to each standard determined under section 34,-
   • (a) the number of cases in which a penalty was levied and the aggregate amount of value of those penalties; and
   • (b) such information with respect to the level of performance achieved by the licensee as may be so specified.
3. (3) The Commission shall, at least once in every year, arrange for the publication, in such form and in such manner as it considers appropriate of such of the information collected by, or furnished to, it under this section as may appear to the Commission to be so required.

1. (1) Save as otherwise provided in this Act, no confidential information with respect to any particular business which-
   • (a) has been obtained by the Commission under or by virtue of any of the provisions of this Act; and
   • (b) relates to the affairs of any individual or to any particular business, shall be disclosed by the Commission, without the consent of that individual or the person for the time being carrying on that business.
2. (2) The restriction contained in sub-section
3. (1) shall not apply to any disclosure of information which is made-
   • (a) for the purpose of carrying out by the State Government of any of its functions under a statute;
   • (b) for the purpose of facilitating the Central Government to discharge any of its duties or functions under this Act or any Central law;
   • (c) for the purpose of facilitating the Chief Electrical Inspector to carry out his duties and functions under this Act;
   • (d) for the purpose of enabling or aiding any competent person carrying out its functions under the law relating to insolvency;
   • (e) in connection with the investigation of any criminal offence or for the purpose of any criminal proceedings; or
   • (f) for the purpose of any civil proceedings under or by virtue of this Act or any other State or Central law to which the information is directly relevant.
4. (3) The restriction contained in sub-section
5. (1) shall not apply to information relating to tariff.