Chandigarh, Sept. 6 -- The Punjab and Haryana high court has said that permanent lok adalats (PLA) can't deal with the proceedings arising out of electricity theft complaints.

The high court bench of justice Suvir Sehgal quashed an order passed by PLA, Moga, in June 2016 on the plea from Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) challenging the decision of PLA in the case of a woman consumer, Gurjinder Kaur.

In October 2014, PSPCL raised a demand of Rs.59,000, besides Rs.18,000 as compounding charges against the consumer, claiming that she had tampered with the meter and committed theft of electricity.

The consumer paid the amount under protest and approached the lok adalat, arguing that the electricity connection was transferred ...