JUDGMENT :

A.K.SIKRI, J. –

1. Delay condoned.

2. Leave granted.

3. The appellant in both the cases is Jharkhand State Electricity Board (JSEB), which is aggrieved by the common judgment dated 5th July 2011 passed by the High Court of Jharkhand in two appeals. These appeals were preferred by the appellant JSEB against the orders dated 17th February 2010 passed by the learned Single Judge of that court in the two Writ Petitions which were filed by M/s. Laxmi Business & Cement Co. Pvt. Ltd. and M/s. Laxmi Ispat Udyog (arrayed as respondent No.1 in each appeal and hereinafter referred to as the ‘consumers’). These respondents had questioned the validity of the bills raised by the JSEB in those Writ Petitions, primarily on the ground that the bills were contrary to and in excess of the tariff fixed by the Jharkhand State Electricity Regulatory Commission (hereinafter referred to as the ‘SERC”). Their contention was accepted by the learned Single Judge and the order of learned Single Judge is affirmed by the Division Bench as well.

4. To give a glimpse of the controversy involved, in the year 1