The All India Electricity Consumers’ Association (AIECA) has announced its strong opposition to the privatisation of the power sector and the forced installation of smart meters across the country. The association has demanded the immediate cancellation of these plans and the withdrawal of the controversial Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022, which it describes as “disastrous” for consumers.

The AIECA leaders, who staged a demonstration in Siliguri today, revealed their plans to organise a Parliament march at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, on 4 March from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The following day, 5 March, the association will hold a National Convention at Shah Auditorium, Delhi to further mobilise support against the proposed reforms.

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The association argues that electricity, an essential public service, is being systematically handed over to profit-driven private enterprises. This shift, they claim, has led to continuous and unjustified hikes in electricity tariffs nationwide. AIECA leaders allege that this is part of a “sinister conspiracy” to transform electricity from a public utility into a highly profitable commodity for corporate gain.

The Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022, currently under review by the parliamentary standing committee on energy, has faced widespread opposition from farmers, power sector employees, and citizens across various states. The bill seeks to curtail state governments’ authority to provide consumer subsidies, ensuring guaranteed profits for private players instead. AIECA criticised both central and state governments for abdicating their responsibilities, reducing electricity to a mere buyer-seller transaction between private companies and consumers, with the burden of rising costs falling disproportionately on ordinary citizens.

The association also condemned the stringent measures taken by several state governments, including the forced disconnection of electricity in homes with old meters to facilitate the installation of smart meters. AIECA leaders argue that such actions are anti-people and disregard the financial struggles of ordinary consumers.

“Electricity is a basic necessity, not a luxury. The government’s push for privatisation and smart meters is a direct attack on the rights of consumers,” said an AIECA spokesperson. “We will continue to fight against these policies until they are withdrawn.”

The upcoming parliament march and national convention aim to amplify these concerns and pressure the government to reconsider its approach to the power sector. AIECA has called on citizens, activists, and organisations to join the movement and safeguard the interests of electricity consumers across the country.