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PETITIONER: THE STATE OF GUJARAT

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: RAJESH KUMAR CHIMANLAL BAROT & ORS.

DATE OF JUDGMENT:       05/08/1996

BENCH: BHARUCHA S.P. (J) BENCH: BHARUCHA S.P. (J) SEN, S.C. (J)

CITATION:  1996 SCALE  (6)12

ACT:

HEADNOTE:

JUDGMENT:                          O R D E R      Delay condoned.      Leave granted.      The order  under  appeal  is  passed  by  the  National Consumer  Disputes  Redressal  Commission  in  first  appeal against an order of the State Commission.      The order under appeal opens with these words:      "Although  there   is   substantial      force in the contention advanced by      the learned  Advocate General,  Mr.      Thakore, appearing on behalf of the      appellant,  that  the  question  of      pricing does  not legitimately fall      within the  purview of adjudication      by the  Consumer Disputes Redressal      Forums, regard  being  had  to  the      peculiar facts and circumstances of      the case  where only  a very  small      period  of   about  10   months  is      involved and the party concerned is      a Gram Panchayat, which is claiming      benefit of  subsidised rate  of  25      paise  per   unit  in   respect  of      electricity consumed  by it for the      supply of  drinking  water  to  its      residents from  a bore-well, we are      not inclined  to interfere with the      order   passed    by   the    State      Commission upholding  the right  of      the panchayat to the benefit of the      said subsidy."      We find  this very  difficult to appreciate. If a court does not  have jurisdiction,  it does not have jurisdiction, regardless of the fact that one of the parties involved is a Gram Panchayat  or the  period involved is very short or the amount involved  is very  small. If  a court  does not  have

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jurisdiction, it is the obligation of the appellate court so to hold and to set aside the order under appeal.      Having regard  to the  fact that  the dispute  did  not "legitimately fall within the purview of adjudication by the Consumer Disputes  Redressal Forums", the appeal is allowed, the order  under appeal  is set  aside and the claim made by the respondents before the State Commission is dismissed.      There shall be no order as to costs.