Recently, the Delhi High Court ordered power distribution company BSES to provide an ex-gratia payment of Rs.10 lakh to the widow of a Sub-Inspector who died from electrocution in 2017. Shagufta Ali, the widow, had originally sought Rs.50 lakh in compensation. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav decreed that BSES must pay the compensation within three months of the ruling, with interest at 6% per annum if the payment is delayed.
The court noted that Shagufta Ali’s family had already received Rs. 27,96,496 in pensionary benefits and continues to receive a monthly pension. It also clarified that this ex-gratia payment is separate from any compensation that may be awarded by a civil court, where Shagufta Ali can pursue additional legal remedies. BSES was instructed to avoid unnecessary delays in the civil proceedings.
The court observed that the electrocution was caused by an outgoing wire leading to a channel gate, and the responsibility of BSES for this incident is not definitively established at this stage. The regulations and provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003 do not place sole responsibility on BSES, and the consumer-shopkeeper is the main accused in the charge sheet. The court stated that any definitive negligence by BSES can only determined through evidence presented in a competent civil court.
Source ANI
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