Mr. Justice H.S. Brar, President—It’s an appeal against the order dated 23.9.2002 of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Ludhiana (hereinafter called the District Forum).

2. Briefly stated the facts are that the respondent-complainant (hereinafter called the complainant) was in possession of a domestic electric connection. His meter became dead in March, 2001 and the same was changed on 4.10.2001. It was alleged in the complaint that the old meter was taken unpacked and the complainant was never invited to the M.E. Lab at the time of testing. Appellant-opposite party (hereinafter called the opposite party) had raised the demand alleging that the meter was running slow by 76% and the seals of the meter were tampered. The said allegations, according to the complainant, were false. Connection was disconnected as soon as the memo was delivered. A prayer was made before the District Forum for restoration of the connection with a direction to the opposite party to pay Rs. 10,000/- as compensation and costs.

Opposite party in its reply took the preliminary objections that the complaint was not maintainable since there was no deficiency in service and the meter installed at