बिजली विभाग की शिकायत — Electricity Complaint to DISCOM, CGRF & Ombudsman

How to file a DISCOM CGRF → State Electricity Ombudsman (MERC / KERC / DERC / TNERC etc.) complaint

1. 1

   File a written complaint with your DISCOM first

   Every DISCOM is required under the Electricity Act 2003 to maintain a customer care channel and acknowledge complaints within a fixed time (usually 24-72 hours). Submit at the local office or via the DISCOM's online portal. Note the docket / acknowledgement number — you'll need it for every escalation.

2. 2

   Escalate to the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF)

   If the DISCOM doesn't resolve it, file with the DISCOM's Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF). Section 42(5) of the Electricity Act 2003 requires every DISCOM to establish one. Note that the Act itself prescribes no decision deadline — the time limits for filing and for disposal come from your State Commission's CGRF regulations and Supply Code, so check the ones for your state. Filing is free for residential consumers in most states.

3. 3

   Generate the formal letter with Nyaykar

   Tell us your consumer ID, the disputed bill amounts, your normal consumption pattern, and what you've already tried. Nyaykar drafts the letter citing the actual provisions: Section 42(5) (the DISCOM's duty to run a CGRF), Section 43 (duty to supply), Section 56 (procedure for disconnection / disputed bills), the State Supply Code, and CPA 2019 § 2(11) for deficiency in service.

4. 4

   Escalate to the Electricity Ombudsman of your State Commission

   If the CGRF doesn't redress your grievance within the period your state's regulations allow, or you aren't satisfied with its order, make a representation to the Electricity Ombudsman appointed by your State Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC for Maharashtra, KERC for Karnataka, DERC for Delhi, TNERC for Tamil Nadu, and so on). That right is given by Section 42(6) of the Electricity Act 2003. The Ombudsman decides the representation, and the State Commission can act against a licensee that fails to comply with its orders under Sections 142 and 146.

5. 5

   Optional: File at Consumer Commission for monetary relief

   For wrongful disconnection, harassment, or financial loss caused by erroneous billing, you can also file at the District Consumer Commission under CPA 2019 in parallel. The Supreme Court has held that consumer fora have jurisdiction over electricity service deficiencies. Court fee is NIL up to ₹5 lakh.

Frequently asked questions

शिकायत में कौन-सी जानकारी देना ज़रूरी है?

पत्र में ये ज़रूर लिखें — अपना नाम और पता, consumer ID / connection number, बिल का महीना और विवादित राशि, पिछले छह महीने की सामान्य खपत, समस्या क्या है (ज्यादा बिल, खराब मीटर, बिना नोटिस कनेक्शन कटना), पहले की गई शिकायत का docket number और तारीख, और आप क्या चाहते हैं (बिल में सुधार, मीटर की जाँच, कनेक्शन बहाली)। अंत में तारीख और हस्ताक्षर करें, और एक प्रति अपने पास रखें। यही पत्र Nyaykar सही कानूनी फॉर्मेट में 60 सेकंड में मुफ़्त तैयार कर देता है।

बिजली का बिल ज्यादा आने पर क्या करें?

सबसे पहले लिखित रूप से मीटर की जाँच (meter testing) की अर्जी दें। ज़्यादातर State Supply Codes में उपभोक्ता की लिखित माँग पर एक तय समय-सीमा के भीतर मीटर की जाँच करना अनिवार्य है — सटीक अवधि आपके राज्य के Supply Code में देखें। मीटर खराब निकलने पर बिल को पिछले billing cycles की औसत खपत के आधार पर संशोधित किया जाता है। जाँच की अर्जी, उसका docket number और पिछले छह महीने के बिल सँभालकर रखें — CGRF और विद्युत लोकपाल के सामने यही आपका सबसे मज़बूत सबूत है।

बिल विवाद में क्या बिजली कनेक्शन काटा जा सकता है?

बकाया भुगतान न होने पर आपूर्ति काटने से पहले Electricity Act 2003 की धारा 56 के तहत कम से कम 15 स्पष्ट दिनों का लिखित नोटिस देना ज़रूरी है। और यदि राशि वास्तव में विवादित है, तो इसी धारा के परंतुक के अनुसार — दावा की गई राशि या पिछले छह महीनों के औसत मासिक बिल, इनमें से जो कम हो — वह रकम "under protest" जमा कर देने पर विवाद के निपटारे तक आपूर्ति नहीं काटी जा सकती। जमा करते समय रसीद पर "under protest" दर्ज करवाना न भूलें।

क्या शिकायत पत्र का PDF डाउनलोड कर सकते हैं?

Nyaykar कोई तैयार PDF फ़ाइल होस्ट नहीं करता। इसके बजाय आप अपनी असली जानकारी भरकर पत्र बनवाते हैं और उसे PDF के रूप में डाउनलोड कर सकते हैं या ईमेल पर मँगा सकते हैं। यह किसी खाली नमूने से बेहतर है, क्योंकि CGRF और विद्युत लोकपाल के सामने आपका consumer ID, बिल की तारीख़ें और विवादित राशि दर्ज होना ज़रूरी है — तैयार फ़ॉर्मेट भरते समय सबसे ज़्यादा गलतियाँ यहीं होती हैं।

My bill is 3x my normal usage. What's the first step?

Apply in writing for a meter test immediately. State Supply Codes generally require the DISCOM to test a disputed meter within a few working days of the consumer's written request — check your own state's code for the exact period. If the meter is found faulty, the bill is revised on the basis of your average consumption over the preceding billing cycles. Keep the testing application and its docket number.

Which law governs electricity complaints in India?

The Electricity Act 2003. Section 42(5) requires every DISCOM to establish a Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum and Section 42(6) gives you the right to take the matter to the Electricity Ombudsman, Section 43 covers the duty to supply, Section 50 the State Commission's power to specify a Supply Code, and Section 56 disconnection for non-payment and disputed bills. On top of that, each State Electricity Regulatory Commission issues its own Supply Code and CGRF regulations, which carry the detailed billing, metering and time-limit rules. Those vary by state and are revised from time to time, so always check the current version for your state.

Do I have to pay the disputed bill while my complaint is pending?

Under Section 56 of the Electricity Act 2003 the DISCOM cannot cut off supply over a genuinely disputed amount if you deposit, under protest, the lower of the sum claimed or your average monthly charge for the preceding six months, pending disposal of the dispute. Pay that much, insist the receipt records it as paid under protest, and keep it — that receipt is what protects your connection while the CGRF or Ombudsman decides.

How long does CGRF take to decide?

The Electricity Act 2003 does not itself set a CGRF decision deadline — Section 42(5) only requires every DISCOM to establish the forum. The actual time limits come from your State Commission's CGRF regulations and Supply Code and differ from state to state, so check the ones that apply to you. If the CGRF does not redress your grievance within the period your state allows, that non-redressal is itself a ground to approach the Electricity Ombudsman under Section 42(6).

Is the DISCOM customer care helpline (1912) enough?

It's a starting point, not a substitute for a written complaint. Verbal complaints to 1912 generate a docket but rarely produce a binding resolution. Always follow up in writing — a written complaint and its docket number are what give you a documented grievance to carry to the CGRF under Section 42(5) of the Electricity Act 2003.

Can I go directly to Consumer Commission without CGRF?

You can — consumer commissions do entertain complaints about deficiency in service by a DISCOM, which is what CPA 2019 § 2(11) covers. Two caveats. A dispute arising from a statutory assessment by the DISCOM (for instance an assessment for unauthorised use of electricity) has its own machinery under the Electricity Act, so take advice before picking a forum there. And in practice the CGRF followed by the Electricity Ombudsman is faster and free, so most consumers use the Consumer Commission for compensation and monetary relief rather than as the first stop.

What documents do I need?

(1) The disputed bills, (2) 6 months of previous bills showing your normal usage pattern, (3) a photo of the meter reading, (4) the acknowledgement / docket number of your initial complaint to the DISCOM, (5) identity + address proof.

The DISCOM disconnected my supply without any notice. Is that legal?

No. Section 56 of the Electricity Act 2003 requires at least 15 clear days' written notice before supply is cut off for non-payment, and where the amount is genuinely disputed the same section protects supply once you have deposited the required amount under protest. A disconnection without that notice is itself a deficiency in service you can raise before the CGRF and, for compensation, the District Consumer Commission under CPA 2019 § 2(11).

Related guides

Hindi-first articles on filing a DISCOM CGRF → State Electricity Ombudsman (MERC / KERC / DERC / TNERC etc.) complaint.

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