(1) No person, who is a promoter, or who is in charge of management or connected with the management of a block or building of flats whether as member of a managing committee, Director, Secretary or otherwise, or is responsible for the maintenance thereof (hereinafter in this section referred to as “the manager”), shall, without just and sufficient cause, either by himself or through any person, cut off, with-hold or in any manner curtail or reduce, any essential supply or service enjoyed by the person who has taken a flat (or by any person in occupation thereof through or under him) in respect of the flat taken, or agreed to be taken by him.
(2) The person who has taken or agreed to take the flat or the occupier may, if the manager has contravened the provisions of sub-section (1), make an application to the Court for a direction to restore such supply or service.
(3) If the Court on enquiry finds that the applicant or the person through or under whom he is in occupation has been in enjoyment of the essential supply or service and that it was cut off or with-held or curtailed or reduced by the manager without just and sufficient cause, the Court shall make an order directing the manager to restore such supply or service before a date to be specified in the order.
(4) The Manager who fails to restore the supply or service before the date so specified, shall for each day during which the default continues thereafter be liable upon a further direction by the Court to that effect, to fine which may extend to one hundred rupees.
(5) Notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the time being in force,-
(a) in any area for which a Court of Small Causes is established under the Karnataka Small Causes Courts Act 1964, that Court; and
(b) elsewhere, the Court of the Civil Judge, shall have jurisdiction to decide any application made under sub-section (2) of and no other court shall have jurisdiction to entertain such application. No appeal shall lie from any order made on such application.
(6) The District Court, may, for the purpose of satisfying itself that the order made on an application made under sub-section (2) was according to law, call for the case in which such order was made and pass such order with respect thereto as it thinks fit.
(7) Any manager who contravenes the provisions of sub-section (1) shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months or with fine or with both.
(8) An offence under sub-section (7) shall be a cognizable offence.
Explanation I.- In this section, essential supply or service includes the supply of water, electricity lights in passages and on stair cases, lifts and conservancy or sanitary service.
Explanation II.-For the purposes of this section, withholding any essential supply or service shall include acts or omissions attributable to the manager on account of which the essential supply or service is cut off by the local authority or any other competent authority.