The Madras High Court today said it cannot direct the Electricity Distribution Corporation to give power connection without submission of building completion certificate from Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA).
Dismissing a batch of petitions, including one from Nathella Jewellery Mart at Tambaram, Justice D Hariparanthaman said the first bench of the court has already in a similar case given its verdict that electricity or water connections shall not be given without the building completion certificate from concerned authorities.
Nathella Jewellery Mart and some other newly-constructed building owners had approached the Electricity Distribution Corporation to get the connections for their buildings, which were rejected by the Corporation for want of building completion certificate from CMDA.
Challenging this, the petitioners moved the high court seeking a direction to the electricity authorities not to insist on the building completion certificate.
The petitioners submitted that after 2003 some amendments were introduced by the electricity department, in which it was mentioned that to get connection, the building completion certificate was not essential and it was further confirmed in several judgements of the High Court.
Justice Hariparanthaman rejected the petitioners' contention and said the First Bench of the Madras High Court in a similar case in its order said that the building completion certificate was essential to get the electricity and water connection.
