SAS Nagar, October 5, Mohali Municipal Corporation and Deputy Mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi informed Principal Secretary Power Department, Principal Secretary Local Government regarding non-payment of the outstanding amount of crores of rupees of cess collected on electricity by PSPCL to Mohali Municipal Corporation. Government Department, Principal Secretary Finance Department and Chairman cum Managing Director PSPCL Patiala have been given notice of defamation of the court.
In this contention notice given through his lawyer Ranjivan Singh, Kuljit Singh Bedi said that he had filed a PIL titled Kuljit Singh Bedi vs. State of Punjab and Others in the Honorable Punjab and Haryana High Court on July 17, 2023, in which the outstanding dues to PSPCL A demand was made to give instructions for distribution.
Sz. Bedi said that from December 2017 till now, including the newly expanded area of sectors, S. A. S. PSPCL is charging 2% cess/municipal tax on the consumption, use and sale of electricity within the municipal limits of the city, which the department has to pay to the Municipal Corporation Mohali, but PSPCL has to pay it. Despite the outstanding amount running into crores, this amount is not being paid to the Municipal Corporation.
Sz. Bedi said that the hearing of the said PIL was held on 17.07.2023, in which the Deputy Advocate General had informed the Bench of the Honorable Punjab and Haryana High Court headed by the Honorable Chief Justice that the matter was under consideration with the competent authority. The matter will be considered with the Principal Secretary, Local Government Department, Punjab and a decision will be taken expeditiously as per law. He said that after taking this statement of Deputy Advocate General Punjab on record, the said PIL was disposed of by the Honorable Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Deputy Mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi said that he had sent a copy of the decision given by the High Court to the said departments on July 31 and demanded immediate action in this matter. He said that despite this, no decision has been taken in this matter yet and this amounts to deliberate disobedience of the decision of the honorable court.
Sz. Said that he has given time to the above departments to deposit the outstanding amount due to PSPCL to Mohali Municipal Corporation within three weeks and in case of failure to do so, he will file a defamation claim in the Honorable Court, which will be dismissed. The entire responsibility will be of the officers of the above departments.