Shimla, Aug. 11 -- The Himachal Pradesh High Court has disposed of a batch of more than 100 petitions filed by stone crushers and industrial units across the state, directing the government to adjust any excess electricity duty recovered from the petitioners against their future dues within one year.

A Division Bench comprising Justice Vivek Singh Thakur and Justice Ranjan Sharma passed the order while deciding the lead matter, M/s Brajesh Stone Crusher vs State of Himachal Pradesh, along with several connected petitions.

The petitioners, including stone-crushing enterprises and other private industrial units, had challenged the electricity duty rates and notifications issued by the state government under the Himachal Pradesh Electricit...