The Calcutta High Court in the case Spot Billing Meter Readers Welfare Association v State of WB & ors observed and has dismissed the PIL filed on behalf of the Spot Billing Meter Readers Welfare Association, wherein seeking directions against the installation of smart-billing electricity meters over apprehension that they would jeopardise the jobs of thousands of meter-readers.
In the present case, the petitioner acknowledged that the technology should not be resisted, the petitioner expressed concern that a wide-scale use of technology in meter-reading would render the jobs of most manual meter-readers irrelevant, thereby affecting their lives and the livelihood.
The bench comprising of Chief Justice Sivagnaman and Justice Ajay Kumar Gupta in the case observed and has assured the petitioner that the human services cannot be dispensed with, even if it being a smart-meter it can’t walk up to your office and say this is the reading…still people are required and smart meter only means a better recording device, thus, the theft-proof and more accurate…this is all an apprehension.
Further, it has been argued by the petitioner in the plea that his apprehension lay in the fact that smart meters would be able to self-report readings and it no longer require anyone to physically take the meter-readings anymore.
The bench of Justice Sivagnaman stated that, no no…I have now a smart meter for almost 11 years in my residence in Chennai…but every time there is a meter-reader who comes with his own equipment…they will not let you (administer it yourself).
The bench while considering the facts and circumstances of the court stated that this court is of the view that such apprehension is absolutely baseless and there being no material placed by the petitioner to show that meter-readers job would be rendered irrelevant by smart-meters.
Accordingly, the court dismissed the writ petition and the court also gave the liberty to the petitioner to approach any appropriate forums if their own rights were being affected in any way.
Chief Justice Sivagnaman and Justice Ajay Kumar Gupta: Coram
