Oswal Woolen Mills Ltd vs Punjab State Electricity Board & Anr

The Supreme Court addressed the legality of a surcharge imposed by the Electricity Board under its circulars dated 21.01.1991 and 30.05.1991, which mandated a 17% surcharge on industrial consumers with a sanctioned load exceeding 5000 KW unless they converted their supply to 33 KV or higher. The Court held that the imposition of the surcharge was valid as it was a reasonable regulatory measure aimed at encouraging consumers to upgrade their supply systems. The judgment affirmed the Board's authority to levy such surcharges under the relevant tariff regulations.