M.P. ELECTRICITY BOARD vs SHAIL KUMARI .

The Supreme Court upheld the High Court's decision directing the Madhya Pradesh Electricity Board to pay Rs. 4.34 lacs in compensation for the electrocution of Jogendra Singh, who died after coming into contact with a live wire on the road. The Court found that the Board's defense of pilferage was unsubstantiated and that it had a duty to ensure the safety of its supply lines. The judgment emphasized the Board's liability despite claims of unauthorized siphoning of electricity, establishing that the presence of the live wire constituted negligence under tort law.