JUDGMENT :

N.V. Anjaria, J.

Whether the appellant herein, who was a consumer of respondent electricity company, could dispute and deny the liability to pay minimum electricity charges on the ground of non supply and non-consumption of electricity, is the question involved and addressed in the present appeal.

2. The appellants-original defendants challenge judgment and decree dated 19th December, 2012, of learned 4th Additional District Judge, Bharuch, allowing the appeal of the plaintiff company-respondent herein, in turn setting aside the judgment and order of the trial court dismissing the suit. The first appellate court in other words decreed the suit, and directed the appellants to pay Rs. 1,04,870.81 ps. towards the bill for minimum electricity charges, with 9% interest from the date of the suit till realisation.

3. Only the relevant facts, shorn off unnecessary details, may be stated. The plaintiff-the erstwhile Gujarat Electricity Board, later converted into a company, a statutory entity, instituted Special Civil Suit before the court of Joint Civil Judge (S.D.), Bharuch, for recovery of amount of minimum electricity charges. The appellants-defendants had applied to the Deputy E