DHBVNL was required to file the ARR for FY 2005-06 by 30.11.2004. But a numbers of extensions were sought and granted to the licensee. The licensee filed ARR on 3.3.2005 and a revenue gap of Rs. 3255.29 million was shown. Thereafter, DHBVNL filed Revised ARR filing for FY 2005-06 on 24.6.2005. The Commission asked Supplementary information from the licensee within 15 days vide letter-dated 17.8.2005, which was provided by UHBVNL after more than a month on 20.9.2005.
Thus, not only different sets of ARR data for FY 2005-06 were submitted by DHBVNL but its processing too was hampered on account of delay in submission of the supplementary information / data. It was mentioned that delayed submission of information / data derails the regulatory process and vitiates the time frame laid down in the Electricity Act, 2003 for disposal of such application.
The licensee did not issue public notices in time. HERC (Tariff) Regulations (Notification dated 30.7.2002) requires the licensee to publish the public notices in two newspapers within 7 days of Revised ARR filing (i.e. after 24.6.2005) and to invite comments from the public within 30 days of publication of notice. The Commission also issued specific direction to the licensee for publication of public notices on 17.8.2005. But DHBVNL issued public notices only on 30.9.2005 in the newspapers and invited comments from public by 3.10.2005 i.e. only 3 days were given for inviting public comments.
