People cry foul after getting hefty bills, allege were cheated into installing meters under pre-poll scheme
Sunil Chadha
SHIMLA:
Shock and anger are sweeping through Himachal Pradesh capital Shimla as hundreds of residents have begun receiving electricity bills at steep commercial rates, despite having what they believed were valid domestic connections.
The change follows a recent directive by the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (HPERC), which has ordered that all electricity meters installed without approved building maps be reclassified as commercial, with arrears recoverable for up to 10 years.
Local residents have alleged that they were misled during the previous BJP government’s term (2021-22) when domestic meters were provided under a relaxed documentation policy, allegedly to boost numbers ahead of the Assembly elections. Now, the same connections are being labelled unauthorised.
Residents demand answers, say were tricked into this
During a recent ward meeting held in Shimla’s Khalini ward recently, angry homeowners demanded clarity and accountability.
“The government itself gave us domestic meters in 2021 without asking for building maps,” said resident Rakesh Thakur. “Now they’re slapping us with commercial bills and saying our homes are illegal. Why did they wait three years to tell us this?”
Others in the meeting accused the authorities of selectively targeting consumers under the guise of regulatory compliance, even though the initial fault lay with the electricity department.
“This is pure betrayal,” said Sunita Verma, a resident of Sanjauli. “They gave us meters without NOCs. Now they’re saying our homes are illegal and asking us to pay lakhs in dues. Who will be held accountable for this fraud?”
Councillor Chaman Prakash supported the residents’ concerns, demanding that the Municipal Corporation send a formal proposal to the state government seeking relief for affected households.
Shimla, Mandi, Solan, Dharamshala affected
The HPERC has mandated the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) to convert all unauthorised domestic meters, those installed without municipal map approvals, into commercial connections.
This conversion comes with a massive financial blow: not only will future bills be charged at higher commercial rates, but the department has also been ordered to recover arrears going back up to 10 years.
Electricity Board officials, speaking on anonymity, confirmed that “thousands of connections” in Shimla, Mandi, Solan and Dharamshala are under review. “These consumers were paying domestic rates while occupying buildings constructed without approvals,” an HPSEBL official stated. “That cannot continue.” The Board has begun compiling a list of such connections, and recovery notices are expected to be issued soon.
Political fallout likely over BJP’s pre-poll scheme
The controversy is tied to a widely criticised scheme launched by the previous BJP government just months before the 2022 Assembly elections. Under that initiative, domestic electricity connections were granted without insisting on approved building plans or no-objection certificates (NOCs).
At the time, it was touted as a “pro-people” move to regularise electricity access for urban dwellers living in partially unauthorised buildings. However, insiders now say the scheme was rushed without coordination with municipal bodies, leading to the current mess.
“It was clearly an election gimmick,” alleged a Congress councillor. “They handed out meters like freebies without checking documents. And now, the people are paying the price.” A BJP leader, however, blamed the ruling Congress, saying the state government was blaming the opposition for its own “follies”. “We will set things right once we return to power in 2027,” he said.
