32 (1) The Commission shall, in
consultation with the State Government, constitute a committee to be known as the
Commission Advisory Committee, which shall consist of such number of persons, not being
less than fifteen or more than twenty one, as the Commission may appoint after
consultation with such representatives or bodies representative of the following interests
as the Commission thinks fit, that is to say, holders of supply licences in the State,
holders of transmission licences in the State, generating companies operating in the
State, commerce, industry, transport, agriculture, labour employed in the electricity
supply industry and consumers of electricity:
Provided that there shall be at least one member representing each such interest on the
Commission Advisory Committee
(2) The Chairman and members of the Commission shall be ex-officio Chairman and members
of the Commission Advisory Committee
(3) The Commission Advisory Committee shall meet at least once in every three months.
(4) The functions of the Commission Advisory Committee shall be-
to advise the Commission on major questions of policy; and
to advise the Commission on any matters relating to the quality, continuity and extent
of service provided by licensees and compliance by licensees with the conditions and
requirements of their licences.
Consumer
protection and standard of performance
33 ( 1 )
The Commission may after consultation with the holders of supply licences, other persons
or bodies appearing to the Commission to he representative of persons and categories of
person likely to be affected and the Commission Advisors Committee frame regulations
prescribing -
the circumstances in which licensees are to inform customers of their rights;
such standards of performance in relation to any duty arising out of the rights referred
to in clause (a), as the Commission considers appropriate; and
the circumstances in which licensees are to be exempted from any requirements of the
regulations and may make different provision for different licensees.
2) Nothing this Act shall affect the rights and privileges
of the consumers under any other law including the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
68 of 1986
Electricity
supply and overall performance standards
34.(1) The Commission
may, after consultation with licensees, the Commission Advisory Committee and with persons
or bodies appearing to it to be representative of persons likely to be affected, from time
to time
determine such standards of overall performance in connection with the provision of
electricity supply services and in connection with the promotion of the efficient use of
electricity by consumers as in its opinion, is economic and ought to be achieved by such
licensees; and
arrange for the publication, in such form and in such manner as it considers
appropriate, of the standards so determined.
(2) Different standards may be determined under this section for different licensees.
Information
with respect to levels of performance.
35.(1 ) The
Commission shall, from time to time, collect information with respect to
the fines or penalties levied on licensees under this Act;
the levels of overall performance achieved by licensees in connection with the
transmission and provision of electricity supply services; and
the levels of performance achieved by licensees in connection with the promotion of the
efficient use of electricity by consumers.
(2) On or before such date in each year as may be specified in a direction given by the
Commission, each licensee shall furnish to the Commission the information with respect to
each standard determined under section 34,-
the number of cases in which a penalty was levied and the aggregate amount of value of
those penalties; and
such information with respect to the level of performance achieved by the licensee as
may be so specified.
(3) The Commission shall, at least once in every year, arrange for the publication, in
such form and in such manner as it considers appropriate of such of the information
collected by, or furnished to, it under this section as may appear to the Commission to be
so required.
Restrictions on
disclosure of information.
36.(1) Save as
otherwise provided in this Act, no confidential information with
respect to any particular business which -
has been obtained by the Commission under or by virtue of any of the provisions of this
Act; and
relates to the affairs of any individual or to any particular business, shall be
disclosed by the Commission, without the consent of that individual or the person for the
time being carrying on that business.
(2) The restriction contained in sub-section (1) shall not apply
to any disclosure of information which is made -
for the purpose of facilitating the carrying out by the State Government of any of its
functions under a statute;
for the purpose of facilitating the Central Government to carry out any of its duties or
functions under this Act or any Central law;
for the purpose of facilitating the Accountant General, Orissa to carry out his duties
and functions under this Act:
for the purpose of enabling or assisting any competent person to carry out its functions
under the law relating to insolvency;
in connection with the investigation of any criminal offence or for the purposes of any
criminal proceedings; or
for the purposes of any civil proceedings brought under or by virtue of this Act or any
other State or Central law to which the information is directly relevant.
(3) The restrictions contained in sub-section (1) shall not apply
to information relating to tariff.