Anver Ali v. The Superintending Engineer

ORDER The petitioner is a consumer of electricity. He is enjoying service connection under commercial category. His grievance is that the installed meter is defective and that the reading shown therein is incorrect. The petitioner has given a representation dated 27.09.2023. He wants the respondents to act on the same.

2.The third respondent had earlier addressed letter dated

24.03.2023 to the petitioner. It reads as follows:- "jkpo;ehL kpd; cw;gj;jp kw;Wk; gfph;khd fofk; mDg;Geh; ngWeh; cjtp kpd; nghwpahsh; md;th; myp tpepNahfk; kz;lgk; kz;lgk; f.vz;:c.kp.ngh/tpep/kz;lgk;/Nfh : nghJ/m.vz; : 049/2023 ehs; : 24.03.2023 nghUs; : kpd;rhuk; - kpd; ,izg;G vz; : 05-308-001-127 epYit kpd; fl;lzk; tpguk; njhptpg;gJ rk;ke;jkhf kz;lgk; gphpT mYtyfj;jpw;F cl;gl;l Nrhyhh; kpd; ,izg;G vz; : 05-308-001-127 KJepiy kjPg;gPl;L mYtyhpd; fs Ma;tpd; NghJ 20.11.2018 Kjy;

23.03.2023 tiu cs;s consumption unit import-f;F gjpyhf-k;> Export unit-f;F gjpyhf Import unit-k; jtWjyhf cs;sJ vd;gJ fz;lhpag;gl;lJ."

3.The last word in the above letter had been incorrectly spelt. I expressed my surprise and called upon the standing counsel to contact the author of the letter and draw her attention. I was in for a double shock. The officer concerned could not spot the error. Even after it was pointed out, she could not realize it. Her Tamil teacher had probably not taught her the difference between "u " and "w . " I hail from Thanjavur District and my elementary school teacher would call the former "rpd;d u" and the latter as "nghpa w". Those from Tirunelveli region poetically call them ";Fr;rp u" "Fz;L w". This is certainly not body shaming the letters. I have dwelt on this subject because the official communications must be grammatically and linguistically correct. We are all concerned about the fall in standards. We are not able to speak in chaste Tamil without a liberal mix of English words. At least our written language must be pure and free of errors.

4.My wife asked the residential Office Assistant to buy her some articles. He got them and gave her the statement of accounts. The balance amount was mentioned as "gf;fp" instead of "ghf;fp". Recently, I was dealing with a case of a student who had been involved in a controversy. His counsel claimed that the petitioner had apologized in writing. He passed it on for my perusal. The student had written that he was only involved in a "Ntf;Fthjk; " and nothing else. I should have dismissed the writ petition for having given such a letter. Mercifully I did not.

5.I am conscious that those living in glass houses should not throw stones at others. The certified copies of the orders signed by the High Court Judges often contain spelling and grammatical errors. But as the immortal poet Bharathiyar said in a different context, it is one thing to maul and mutilate English language but murdering mother tongue is unacceptable.

6.Let me come back to the case on hand. I am satisfied that the petitioner's grievance should be looked into. The second respondent is directed to look into the petitioner's representation and take appropriate action. The meter in question shall be inspected and tested. If it turns out to be defective, new meter shall be installed. Action shall be taken in this regard within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

7.This writ petition is disposed of accordingly. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed.

18.10.2023 NCC : Yes/No Index : Yes / No Internet : Yes/ No ias

G.R.SWAMINATHAN, J. ias

18.10.2023

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 18.10.2023 CORAM THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE G.R.SWAMINATHAN and W.M.P.(MD)No.21518 of 2023 E.Anver Ali ... Petitioner Vs. 1.The Superintending Engineer, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO), Near RTO Office, Bharathi Nagar, Ramnad - 623 503, Ramnad District. 2.The Executive Engineer, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO), Office of Executive Engineer, Ramnad, Ramnad District. 3.The Assistant Engineer, Operation and Distribution, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO), Mandapam, Ramnad District. ... Respondents Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying this Court to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the 2nd respondent herein to change the defective meter pertaining to petitioner's electricity service connection bearing No.05-308-001-127, and rectify the wrong calculation in the light of his representation dated 27.09.2023 and pass appropriate orders on it within a stipulated period as may be fixed by this Court. For Petitioner : Mr.R.Sundar For Respondents : Mr.S.Deenadhayalan, Standing Counsel.