Administrator
04 April 2025
Responding to a Public Interest Litigation, the High Court of Jharkhand has directed the Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Ltd. not to shut down electricity supply in the manner it was done on April 1, 2025.
April 1, 2025, was the day of the festival of tribals- Sarhul, when the JBVNL had shut down electricity supply from 1 P.M. to 11 pm in different areas of Ranchi.
In fact, the JBVNL switches off electricity on the occasion of every major festival such as Ramnavmi and Muharram. The JBVNL’s move comes into effect on the ground to prevent electrocution on these festivals when processions were taken out across the city.
However, the High Court of Jharkhand Chief Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao took Suo Motu cognisance of the JBVN’s power shut down on the Sarhul festival day, noting that “ It cannot be disputed that electricity supply is an essential service in today’s world.
“As the hot summer season has started, stoppage of electricity supply by JBVNL affects the lives of residents of the city more so that of old people, sick people, young children”, the bench of Chief Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao and Justice
Deepak Roshan observed in the W.P.(PIL) No. 1715 of 2025( A digital copy being enclosed for perusal of viewers).
The court has made four respondents. They were Mr. Rajiv Ranjan, A.G. Mr. Piyush Chitresh, A.C. to A.G,Mr. Sachin Kumar, Advocate and Mr. M.K.Roy, Advocate. They were directed to submit counter affidavits on April 9,2025.
The court has also made it clear that JBVNL will not shut power supply “ in future unless such a measure is warranted due to some serious emergency such as extreme bad weather or the like.”
Asked for his comment, reputed lawyer Arvind Lall praised the court’s move. “ The people of Ranchi have been suffering from the JBVNL’s arbitrary power-shut action on every measure of festivals. I salute Honourable Chief Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao and Justice Deepak Roshan for picking up the common cause of the residents of Ranchi”, said Mr.Lall.
The court has listed the next date of hearing of this PIL on April 9, 2025.
