Illegal levy: Recovery of debt surcharge suspended

LAHORE: Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday suspended the recovery of debt servicing surcharge (30 paisa per unit) on electricity bills. He also issued notices to the government among other respondents to submit their replies by January 15, 2015. Justice Karim also sought assistance from the attorney general of Pakistan. The directions were issued on a petition on behalf of a cement company. Advocate Muhammad Azhar Siddique said that the levy was unjust and that the DS-surcharge was the government’s failure in recovering electricity dues from government institutions. “Now it is trying to shift the burden on to consumers.” He said that under Article 3 of the Constitution, the levy was illegal and exploitative. The petitioner requested the court to declare the DS-surcharge unconstitutional and also asked for a stay order on its recovery in November and ahead.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26^th, 2014.