COCHIN STATE POWER AND LIGHT CORPORATION LTD. vs STATE OF KERALA

The Supreme Court held that under Section 6(1) of the Indian Electricity Act, 1910, the State Electricity Board had the exclusive right to elect to purchase the electrical supply undertaking upon the expiry of the appellant's 25-year license. The Court ruled that since the Board had duly elected to purchase the undertaking, the State Government had no option to purchase under Section 6(2). Furthermore, the Court clarified that the requirement for the Board to notify the State Government under Section 6(4) was not applicable due to the impossibility of compliance within the stipulated time frame, thus affirming the High Court's dismissal of the appellant's writ petition.