Andhra Pradesh Association Of The Deaf vs State Of Telangana
2026 Latest Caselaw 245 Tel

Telangana High Court

Andhra Pradesh Association Of The Deaf vs State Of Telangana on 1 April, 2026

       IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA
                       AT HYDERABAD

THE HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE SRI APARESH KUMAR SINGH
                                       AND
             THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE G.M.MOHIUDDIN

                        WRIT APPEAL No.371 of 2026

                              DATED: 01.04.2026

Between:
Andhra Pradesh Association of the Deaf,
Rep., by Venkat Reddy,
Hayath Nagar Mandal, Ranga Reddy District.
                                                                    ... Appellant
                                       AND

State of Telangana, rep., by its Principal Secretary, (Energy),
Hyderabad, TS and 3 others.
                                                                  ... Respondents

JUDGMENT:

Heard Sri Prabhakar Sripada, learned counsel represents Mr. Durga

Prasad Kotamraju, learned counsel for the appellant, Sri N. Sreedhar Reddy,

learned Standing Counsel for Telangana Southern Power Distribution Company

Limited appears for respondent Nos.2 and 3 and Sri J. Prabhakar, learned Senior

Counsel represents Sri Gokul Rama Rao, learned counsel for respondent No.4.

2. Name of respondent No.4 was mutated by the respondent Electricity

Company by impugned order dated 05.01.2017 in place of name of the

appellant, which aggrieved it to approach the learned writ Court. The writ

petition was dismissed with liberty to the appellant to raise the issues before the

competent Court of civil jurisdiction. The learned writ Court also took into note

that as per the averments in the writ petition, the appellant is the only surviving

member of the Managing Committee of the Association and doubted the

resolution produced by him to rectify the name of the appellant Association in

the records. Being aggrieved, the appellant has preferred this appeal.

3. On being specifically asked, learned Standing Counsel for the respondent

Electricity Company has categorically submitted that the Consumer Grievance

Redressal Forum (CGRF) has been constituted under the Electricity Act, 2003 to

deal with such disputes.

4. The dispute raised by the appellant requires determination on issues of

fact also. Learned writ Court, however, relegated the appellant to approach the

competent Court of civil jurisdiction. In the process, it has also made certain

observations. We are of the view that if the Electricity Act, 2003 provides for a

statutory forum to raise the grievance in relation to transfer of the electricity

connection in the name of another party, the right course for the appellant was to

approach the concerned CGRF in respect of the said dispute. Therefore, the

impugned direction giving liberty to the appellant to raise these issues before the

competent Court of civil jurisdiction is set aside. Since the appellant is granted

liberty to approach CGRF taking all grounds on law and fact available to it, any

observations touching the merits of the case of the parties in the impugned

judgment would not influence the forum in taking an independent decision in

accordance with law. If the complaint is filed by the appellant before the

CGRF, the learned forum would endeavour to decide it expeditiously after due

notice to the concerned party in accordance with law. Needless to say

respondent No.4 would also be entitled to take all such objections against the

claim made by the appellant.

4. The instant appeal is disposed of in the aforesaid manner. There shall be

no order as to costs.

Miscellaneous applications, if any pending, shall stand closed.

______________________________________ APARESH KUMAR SINGH, CJ

______________________________________ G.M.MOHIUDDIN, J

Date: 01.04.2026 ES