Now Reading: JERC allows power disconnection for electricity theft
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JERC allows power disconnection for electricity theft
The Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has authorised officers in charge of electricity distribution subdivisions to disconnect power supply in cases of electricity theft, effective from 1 October. The order follows a request from the Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (JPDCL) and applies to JPDCL, Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) and Ladakh Power Development Department (LPDD). The authorisation is issued under Section 135(1A) of the Electricity Act, 2003.
The Commission clarified that the disconnection power is separate from the authority for entry, inspection, search and seizure under Section 135(2). Officers of higher rank than those specifically authorised may also exercise the disconnection power within their jurisdiction. The utilities have been directed to publish updated lists of authorised officers with names, designations and territorial jurisdictions on their websites and at offices, and to ensure photo identity cards reflect the scope of each officer's authorisation. The Managing Directors of JPDCL and KPDCL and the Chief Engineer of LPDD must submit compliance reports within 15 days.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The order gives distribution companies a direct enforcement tool to curb electricity theft without waiting for prolonged legal proceedings. For consumers, this means that an authorised officer can cut supply on the spot if theft is detected, subject to safeguards in the Supply Code. The 15-day compliance deadline ensures that the lists of authorised officers are published quickly, which will determine how transparently the power is exercised. The key next step is whether the utilities meet the deadline and whether the safeguards in the 2023 Supply Code are followed in practice, as the order itself provides no new consumer appeal mechanism beyond existing law.
Source: kashmirlife.net
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.
