Patna/Rohtas: Residents of Dehri in Bihar’s Rohtas district created a commotion on Saturday after their electricity bill disputes were not addressed during the National Lok Adalat. Villagers said they had arrived expecting a resolution of both pending and new electricity-related cases, but no officials from the electricity department were present.
The absence of department representatives meant that cases could not be heard, prompting villagers to protest outside the sub-divisional office. Many attendees had travelled from nearby villages, some seeking the reinstatement of disconnected electricity connections due to outstanding bills.
Experts clarified that the National Lok Adalat only addresses pending electricity cases that are legally amenable to settlement. New cases, which comprised much of the crowd’s complaints, must be filed at the designated electricity court in Gaya. Miscommunication and lack of information appeared to have contributed to the large-scale protest.
Authorities said they are reviewing the incident to prevent similar confusion in the future and to ensure that villagers are correctly informed about the proper channels for resolving new electricity disputes.
