The Odisha Electric Supply (Line Materials Unlawful Possession) Act, 1989

ORISSA ACT 11 OF 1989 'ITHE ORISSA ELECTRIC SUPPLY-LINE MATERIAL (UAWFUL POSSESSEON) ACT, 1981 [Received 16 F assent OJ trze President on the 13th June, 1989 JTrrl published in an exiraordinary isme of Be Orksa Gazette dared the 281h June. 1989.1 AH ACT TO PHOVlDE FOP PRRVBNnON OF Wfl AND UNLAWmLPO-ION OF raucrnlc SIIPPLY-LINB MATBRI AM AND MA= CONNECIED -. Ba it enacted by the legislature of the State of Orissa in the Thirty-ninth Year I of the Republic or India as f~llows :- Shorl dtlo, cxtcnt aod 1. (11 This Act may be called the Orissa Electric Supply-Line Matex~al (Unlawfu commence- Possessionl Act, 1988. mat. (2) It extends to the whole of the State of Orissa. . (3) R shall came into force at once. Dcfinitlone 2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-- (a) ' Authorised Ofictr' means an Oflicer of the Orissa State Electricity Board not below the rankof a Superintending Engineer (Electrical) who has been authorista by the Government by notification issued in this behalf to exer- clse the powers of confiscation under this Act for a particular area ; 4 [ * 1 . * I (c) "Electric Supply-Line Material" means,- ti) ACC (All Aluminium Conductor) ; (iil ACSR (Steel Cored, Aluminium Conductor) ; (ii i) High Voltage Cable. 11 K. V. and above ; (iv) Insulator, 11 K . V. and above ; (V) Lighting Arrester, 11 K. V. and above ; (vi) Support for Electric Supply-Line and part thereof ; or (vii) Transformer belonging to Government or Board ; but shall not includ- (1) PYC Cable (Service connection); (2) PVC Cable (Domestic wiring) ; B [ * S * * I (dl "Government" means the Stale Government of O~issa ; '[(d-1)" GRIDLCO " means the Grid Corporation of Orissa Limited as 0- A C ~ reffered to in section 13 of the Orissa Electricity Reform Act, 19951.2 of 1995 (e) "Prescribeci" means prescrilxd by rules made under this Act ; and u) Words and expresjons used but not defined in this Act and defined in the Indian Electricity Act, 1910 shall have the same meaning as assigned to 9 1910 them under that Act. 1. For Stattrntni oTObjects and Reesons see Orissa Q a ~ l t e Elraordinary, dated the 17th March 1987. No. 402) and lhe Selecr Committee report see Orlssa Gazelle Extraor dhary, dated the 26h September, 1988 (No. 1381). 2. Omitted by Orissa Act 6 of 1997 s. 2 Iil 3. Omitted by Ibld s. 2 (14 4. h e r l e d by ibld s. 2 (iii) , - . ' . THE ORTSSA ELECTRIC stip;p~~;jLTf.jCk MATERIAL I - .-! i (UNLANFU L -POSSESSION) ACT; 1987 I - [orissa kgt 11 bdf' -19891: ,- .,, {Secs. 3 , 6 ) 1 . Penally for udawrul 3. Whoever is'found ,to have been in possessidrl of any electric supply-line rnateriales possession of reasonably,suspected qf having ,been ,stolen o; ~~qlawful ly obtaincd or retained shall, eleclr!c unless he pro3es. that, he was 'in ,lawful - p'dssesfioh oF.such rngerials, shall be puni- s up~ly-1 h e shable,- . . . , .. . , . . . . . . , . , . . . . . . - ,, . matcrial. . . (a) for the fist oKence, with imprisonment of cither description for a term which may extend to three years and witn fine and- in the abhence of speciaI and adequate Ieasons to be recorded in the judgement OF the I Court, such imprisclnment sllall not be less than two years and such Rne shall not bc less than o nc thousand rupees ; . . I : I . . , 1. {b) for the second or, subsequeni offence with imprisonment of either descrip- ' - 1 tion for a term,which may extend to five years and also with tine and in the absenw of special and adequate rysons to be mentioned in 97 judg* ment of the Court, such irnprikonment shall not be 'lkss than three years and such fine shall not be Iess than two thousand rupees. ' . 1 , ,,; ' Non-produc+ tion the _ - 4. In, any trial folh an offence under sec~ion 3 of this-, Act,- . , . , , , , , . . . L . I I , ' 1 be- - - - -: (a) tst buiden of pro& that' the . accuscd , was iri: lawrul possession of the f ore-court. . .. . . , , ; , .., . . . . . . .,. ,electric supply-lihd . . "&aterial , shall - T i p .-be . . ;on ' him; . , . , , . , . (b) it shall not be ne&srary i* produce-ihe rejzld matiriais in the Court for the purpo- dentification. The production of the seizure list duly i countersigned by thc Authorised Oficer of the area or the Investigating Oficer, as the casc may be, shall be~,co~clusive proof of such, identifi- cation. Starsh of place sus- 5. (1) If any place including an enclosure, tank, well, reservoir or any premises pectcd to is suspzcted to be used for the aeposit OF stolen c ectric supply-line material, any conrain o€Kccr of the l[GRIDICO J , not below the rank,da Subdivisional Oficer (ElcctricaI) with the written permission of the Authorised Officcr may enter such p l a d for lhe purpose supply~l'ns material. of starch and may take the assistance of such sub-ordinates, asslstants or other employees of thel[GRTDICO] as may, bc considered reasonable and necessary for conduc- ting the search and to make arrangements for yarding the place until arrangement is made fox. the seizure and remoral of the electr~c supp1y:ltne mater~al to some place of saiety, . . .. . , (2) AU persons in possession or o&upation of the place, preiirrer, tank, reser- voir or well, on disciosure of the identity of the oEmr conducting the search shall allow i im free ingress thereto and afford $1 reasonable facililiq~ Tor a search therein* . I (3) Bciore making a search undcl th is section, the officer about- to make it shall call upon one or more respectable pelsons of the locality 'in which the place is situate or of any other Iocality if no such inhabitant of the sald locality is avaihble or is willing to attend an witness the search and the search shall be made in the p r c s e n ~ of such witness. . I (4) Any person obstructing, the search conducted by an officer of the l[GRIDICO] . . sb&J tie- punishable with , , imprisonment, which may extend. to six months and fine. !&ureof: . , ' ekctris aupp- 6. (1) When ' it ir reasonably suspccled that an offen& uider this Act has been IY-line mate- rn-ittcd in respect of ,electric supply-line material, such spuply-Iine materia1 together riala. with all tools, ropes, chains and any vehicles, vcssels or other modes of conveyance used-- for transport. of such supply-lfne material, may be scized by any officer of the ~[GRIDIcO], i lot below the rank of a Subdivisional .08icer (Electrigl). (2) Every officer seizing any electric supply-line .Aa teJa~ or tools, chains, vehicles 1 ir, other modes qf conveyance under> sub-section (1) shall, within seventy-two houn i fibm tbe time of seizure, prod,uce the propeity seized before the ,Authoriscd. ,m&r of I I the area. All ofl~ers' of the l[GRTDICOl including tho A'uthorised 0fficer.whcn they seize any eleelric supply-line material shall lodge. informatlob wltlj the Police -along . with a copy of the seizure list duly countc&lgned by the Authorjsed Officer w~thout producing the seized material, I . , . . , , : . , , I . Subtituted by the Orissa Act 6 or 1997 s. 4. - .. . ' . . .>. . . THE ORISSA ELECTRIC S u17P Lx-LI NE MAT ERlAL (UNLAWPUL POSSESSION) ACT, 1987 - , IOrissn Acl 11 of 198'lj (sccs. 7-9) (3) Every Poliu: Vficur seizi l lg clecl ric supply-line matcrial i 11 cr; tineutio~, {vi L 11 no oTcnce suspecled tu llayc bcc~ l cojnji l i l rcd ~j l idcr (Ilis Acl shall n r ~ r \ v i t h s t a ~ l d i ~ ~ a~iy t l l ing conlained i a Lllc Ccde or Cr im i l ~ :~ l Prtimd!~re. 1973 rrl~wrlrr) a copy nf l l ~ c "( 97d scizure l i s l lo the Autlioriscd Olllccr w i t l ~ i l l scvn~lly-lwtr I ~nu r$ r r o n ~ 1I1c t ime ul seizure nnd shqll ~ n i ~ k c ovcr lo Ihc said Aull:orisi:rl Olf iccl L l~e seizct! propcrty includirlg the tools, c l i a i ~ ~ , rupcs, vcllicles, vessels and o l l r ~ r C I I I I V C ~ ~ I I ~ scizcd, Tor purposes if ini t ia l ing conL~c-ation procecdillg ~ n t l r , ~ I l l i s Acl . (4) Tbc seizure list prcparctl tlic ~nnLcl-iaIs (lit. tn~ols, cllnins, vclriclcs al ld other n~udes of conveyallcc seimd in coursc of se;ucll, sllnll bc sigllcrl by [lie oficc, ruakiug rlle seizure a d tlie wiloess prcselli. A repart or seizurc alollgwilli a-copy , of tlic seizurc l i s t so made sllall bc sclll IQ ihc IICRT~:SI Magishate Iiauing jur isdldion to try ally offence undcr this Act. Con(iscatlon; 7. (1) Wherc an Authu~~ised Gil iccr scizc!. any clcclric supply-line 1nnter.is1 or $$p when any such clectric supply-linc material ir pm~luccd hrlvrc lli111 or is nlndc over to I~ im by l l l c Policc, IIC sfli\ll, i f Ilc i c s;~iisfied that ao offence tllldcr this Act hns been coalmi~tcd in rcspccl tbcrcol; a r d r ~ tlic conf ismtio~l oC t l ie clcclric supply -line material togethcr wirli nll tunls, ropes, cllni ns, vcllic!es, vessels n I I ~ other conveyance uscd in curn~~litl i i ~ g such olCencc millli 11 t lie prcsc~ ibed (ilnc: Providcrl t l ~ a ~ no ordcr confiscating any eleclr ic supply~lirlc muter1n.1 or nr!y tools, ropes, c l~n i lu , vchicles, or ather co ~ivcyn~iccs liscti ill committ ing t l ic ofrc~ice sllall bc madc, u~iless IIle perso11 lrortt w h o ~ n the property !t scizccl is givcn- (a] a notice in writ ing inror~r l ing lii111 vf t 11e grnuncls on whicli it i s proposed to confisc-tlc sue11 propcrty, tools, ropes, chairls and vehicles, vessels and other wnvcynnce; (A) au rlpporlunity of nlnkilzg rcprc?enlntio~i in writing wi t l i i r~ such rcasoltnble t i ~ n c as mcrc specifled in t l ~ c nvlice against the groutld of coniiscario~l; and (4 a rens~nnble oppo r t u~~ i r y o l b c i ~ ~ g Iiawd i n tlie mallcr. (21 Wilhou t prcjrrdicc 10 the provisi,ons ol sub-section (I) 110 order conliscali~lg any veliicle. vcssel or othcr collveyalicc s l ~ a l l be mnae, if (11e owner ot such vcbicle, vc~scl, or o l l~er collvcyaurr: pl -ovu tu tllc snl isratr t io l~ or the Autl~orised Omccr tllat i1 was used ill carrying Ihc elcciric supply-line matcrial wilhoul l l ~ c knonlcdgc or colltlivatice of tile alvllcr I i i l ~~se l r and his agct~t, i r ally, alltl the persoil in charge ibe vel~icIe, vcsslc or 01 l lcr co nvcyallce liad i u ken all rei~onablc and Iicccssary piernut ions against such use. Appeal H. (I ) Al l y persson aggricvcd by ari urdcr u l c l~~~ l i s ca t i on mndc u ~ ~ ( l e r scctivrl 7 nlay wit l i i~k OIIC mo'nth rr'rc~rn tnc rlatc or commuuicnt io~~ l u l i im or sucl~ ordcr, appeill to the '[Dircctur Transmisssiun ant1 Dis l r ibut ivn or the GItIUICO] and l lw nppellale authority aficr giving :LII apoc,r(u ni ly lo Ihc appellant Io he hcanl. niay lass such order as lie inay t l i i ~ ~ k [it, co~~ f i rm i l ~g , n~otlifg'iirg or at111uIli11g tltc order appaled against. (2) T l ~ e appellate urdcr s l~a l l I)c h n l ;~ncl r io lwi l l i .~ le~ ld ing the result of i I ie crirl,irlaI case, i f any. t h e conf ix~l t ic l l i iis cunfir~nctl by thc oppellalc ~ u f l i ~ ~ i ~ y SIICIH 1101 be qucsl io~~erl i n any Civil or Crirninal Conr~ of law. Vesilng of 9. (1 1 Wllcrc an order td co~lf isml ioo ur nny malccials, tools and conveyance l lns ~ I I I P final. s~rch n~alcrials o r a p o r t i o ~ ~ liicreur, inclutling (Ilc tools, vchicles, vesscls pmm*y' and o ~ l i c r cunvcynnas, as l l ic case may bc, slrnll vesl in tile B o n d T r a all eacr~mbra nces a ~ i d tlie ~[CiRTDIC~] :I l lcr fixing a rcaso~lttble va luaticru or tile pr.rlpcrIy, may dispose of tlie srznlc iu such lnnllrler as i t deems proper. (2) Whcrc i o a prosecution u ~ d c r s e c t i o ~ ~ 3 of this hcl, Lkc pcrsoll co llccrncd is aqi i lcd on a 6udi11g that Iic was ill larvful ~ussess io l~ or t he scized yroporly, Ilc will be entitled to bc rchiridcd tbc vnlue or price Cixcd under sub-section ( I ) ur tlic ~ C I U R ~ djsposol pricc, whicticvcr is higlwr, rrorn Lbc l[GRTDICTj]. 'I'fiE ORlSSA B ~ B C ' , ~ R I C $W$;~?LY -LLNE MATBIITAL (UNLAWFUL I'OSSHSSION) ACI.', IPS7 CU"fibmL(UII 10. A11 ~ ~ d c r or t o ~ ~ ~ i s w ; . l l i o ~ ~ lliacle u~cler i e c t i o ~ ~ 7 s l ~ ~ l l jtrll act a5 a ~ ~ a r lo .._ l v ba nu b ~ r ,a ilnyuslliun llie impobiiioo oT any other peaally Lo w l ~ i & ~ I I ~ c . . olfci~de~' is IiabIc ullder l l~ is Acl. uT olllcr I ' . . . ~ ~ e ~ ~ a l i y . 0ITe ua: I t . All olTc~~ic under this Acl sl~nll t c ct lgui~~blc a d ~rtru-b~ilable. cugtilznblc. , I s ~ i 12. WIlerc all uttlcr purporlv to I IHV~ been uladc sigrlcd by ihenutlhbrily ~ I I ns lu ur[[ers. dgcrcise any- power wnrcrrcd by or ullder this Aci, the Coltst s f~a l l ~ ~ C S U I I E t l ~ e l sukh artier wns SO 11la~Ic by I l t ~ l autl~vrily willlir~ Lhc incanidg rd lhe Indian Bvide~~cc Act, 1872. , . , . I . 100r 1872 , - , Prulcclluu ur - 13. No suit. proseculio~i or oaY Icgal proweJing shall lie u g ~ i ~ l s t ally persol1 ur , 1 9f(i"1' Lakc'' Llle Ovard for auytlliug dol~c iu good faith a; inlendcrl IO be dune it1 pursuance ~f - ; , . unrtcr 'I!' t11c provi~iuus or i b i s Act. Act. i . r . . . I ACI 10 14. The provisiooi of LIlis Act sIlalf have eflccl ~~otwiUislaodiny a u y l l ~ i l l ~ inc011si- uverride (cut t hel-cwilk conlaiued ilk any olI~er law fur [he ti~nt: being i l l r o w . oll~er 1 ~ ~ 6 . ! .' Ihowcr lo 15. Tl~c Slatc G~vcrumcur may u~ake rules * for arryillg out ~ l l or ~ 1 1 y lllnku rulei. Q Z O Y ~ ~ ~ O ~ I S of tJis Act. -- ---- . - ---.---- p- Por nrllcs Sac Orlssa GUZI I~ , htraurdinary, dclcd I l~c 1st .Novubar, 1989 (No. 1530). THE ORI- E L E m C SUPPLY-LINE MATERIAL UNLAWFUL POSSE5!3IOw 1 AMEND- ACT, 1997 TABLE OFiCONTENTS - I, Short title 3. Amendment of section 8 . ORlSSA ACT 6 OF 1997 r . 'FEIE ORLSSA SECTRIC SUPPLY-L~E M A T ~ ~ A T . AWFUL PossESsron AMENDMESllT ACT, ,1997 [Rcceiwd the mscnt of the Governlor on the 26rli h f q 1997, Erst pub Ii~hed ;ti- a n ext&rdinary issue of the Orissa Gazette, d a t ~ d theq29th May 1997 ] A N Am TO THE OBI?ESA BLECTRIC SUPPLY-LINE MATERIAL. ( UNLAWFUL PossassION ) ACT. 1P88 B E i L enacted by the Lrgirlrtura of the Stale of Orirra in the Pony- eighth Year of the Republic of India as fol~ows:- Short title. 1. This Act m a y be callcd the Orissa Electric Supply-Lint Matedl ( Unlawful Possession ) Amendment Act, 1997. A m ~ h n t , 2. l n =tion 2 of the OT~SSB Bltclrjc Supply-Line Material ( Unlawfu[ O r b r ~d of rectlon 2. Poesession ) Act, 1988 ( here~naficr referred to as !he principal Act ),- 11 of 1989. V) clause [b) shall be omitted; ' ( j j ) in subclause (vii) of clause (4, the word?, figures,' brackets and lettcrs "Every such materid as included in section 2 (c) beat - the mark of Orissa State Electricity Board iri the prescribed manner," appearing after item (2) shall be omitted; and ( i i i ) after clause (d), the following'clause shell be inserted, namely:- ~ ( d - I ) =GRIDCO*' m a n s thc Grid Corporation of Drissa Limiltd orisrra , . as referred to in section 13 of the Orissa Eieclriclp Reform 2 or 1996. Act, 1995'; ~mcndmco t 3. Zn sfction 8 of the principal Act, in sub-seclion {I), for ;he words of a t c l i n 8. "Member, Administration of) the Orissa Slate Electricity Board", the words director, ~ransmission and Distribution of the GRIDCO" shall be substituted. . - Genera1 4. In thc principal Act, for the expres6ion "Board" or "Ori;:a Slate am~dmmt. Electricity Bard" wherever it cccurs, thc cxpressioo "GRIDCO" sbal I be - substituted. 5. ~ c t w i f hstandiog the subsiifulion of the runctionaries made by ibis Act, Savings' any 1sg.l praeecdiig commenced or pending before any Wn~tionsry under the principal Act prior to the commencement of this Act sbail stand transferred to, and be deemed t o be pending before, the functionary substitded by this Act, on the date or such commencement. *For the Bill ste Orissa Gazette, Extraordinary, dated the 17th Mash 1997 (No. 3511 1989OR11.pdf 1997OR6.pdf