OSWAL WOOLLEN MILLS LTD. vs PUNJAB STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD

The Supreme Court addressed the legality of a surcharge imposed by the Punjab State Electricity Board under a circular dated 21.01.1991, which mandated a 17% surcharge on industrial consumers with a sanctioned load exceeding 5000 KW until they converted their supply to 33 KV or higher. The Court held that the Board's imposition of the surcharge was valid, as it was within their regulatory powers, and the consumers were given a reasonable time to comply with the requirements for conversion. The judgment affirmed the Board's authority to levy such surcharges under the Electricity Act, 2003, and dismissed the writ petition challenging the circular.