S. PARVATHA RAO, J.

( 1 ) THE petitioner seeks a writ of mandamus declaring the levy of maximum demand charges during the period of non-supply of power as illegal, arbitrary, high handed and void and consequently directing the respondents to refund the entire amount of maximum demand charges collected from the petitioner for non-supply days during the power cut period etc.

( 2 ) THE petitioner is a public limited company. It set up a cement manufacturing unit and received electrical energy from the 1st Respondent Board under high tension with a maximum contracted demand of 15 MVA by 4-12-1987. It is stated that its annual licensing capacity is 5 lakh tonnes of cement per annum, and that it requires roughly about 55 to 60 lakh units for reaching optimum production. Under B. P. Ms. No. 1013, (Commercial) dated 14-11-1987, the respondents imposed power cut with effect from 15-11-1987 and all H. T. consumers were directed to regulate their consumption of power as indicated therein. The petitioner was "required to regulate its consumption by 60% of the average consumption of power during the period 1-4-1986 to 31-3-1987, which was subsequently increased to 90% cut". On behalf of the pet

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