A sharp standoff between electricity officials and consumers has escalated in the Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh following the installation drive for new smart meters. Power supply to the residence of Kapahra gram panchayat pradhan Vinay Kumar Sharma was abruptly severed by the state electricity board after he declined to allow the replacement of his existing meter. In response to the disconnection, the local village head delivered a strict warning to the authorities, asserting that he would force the removal of all electric poles and power transmission wires passing across his private land if the connection was not restored immediately.
Notice Served in the Name of Late Father
The conflict escalated after the electricity department issued a formal warning letter regarding the metering transition. Vinay Kumar Sharma stated that the board delivered a notice on 14 October, addressed jointly to him and his late father. The document stated that the consumer premises had 24 hours to comply with the smart meter installation, failing which the power supply would be suspended without further notice. Soon after the expiry of this window, board workers disconnected his domestic line. Sharma registered strong objections to the department serving administrative notices to a deceased individual, questioning the sensitivity of the officials involved.
Panchayat Resolution and High Court Challenge
Criticising the department's aggressive enforcement, Sharma remarked that the board's conduct was harsher than colonial-era oppression. He emphasized that the refusal was not a personal whim but a collective community stance. On 9 August, the Kapahra gram panchayat had passed a unanimous official resolution requesting the board to retain existing meters due to deep-seated public anxieties about potential meter malfunctions and inflated power charges. Although this formal resolution was delivered directly to the Executive Engineer, the board disregarded the community's representations. Furthermore, Sharma had already approached the Himachal Pradesh High Court with a petition against the mandatory switch, yet the authorities went ahead with punitive disconnection.
Electricity Board Defends Disconnection Under Policy
In response to the controversy, the electricity board maintained that field workers were acting strictly in line with government policy. Assistant Engineer Ramesh Kumar clarified that the department had repeatedly publicized the governing framework. Under the established rules, any consumer refusing the installation of a smart meter is liable to receive a 24-hour statutory notice. If the consumer continues to decline compliance within that timeframe, personnel are authorized to terminate the electric connection.
Rising Public Backlash Over Smart Meter Rollout
The incident in Bilaspur reflects broader public friction across Himachal Pradesh, where the state electricity board is phasing out legacy meters in favour of automated smart units. While the ongoing phase targets commercial connections and selected domestic zones, public resistance remains widespread. Many consumers fear that digital smart metering will lead to steep, unpredictable surges in monthly electricity costs, alongside erratic tariff calculations. Accusations of administrative high-handedness have made the meter replacement project a recurring flashpoint across several rural and suburban pockets of the state.
