• Source:JND
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BESCOM Smart Metre Row: An interim order was issued by the Karnataka High Court on Friday, prohibiting BESCOM and the state government from mandating smart metres for electricity supply connections. After reviewing a petition submitted by M Jayalakshmi, a resident of Doddaballapur town, Justice M Nagaprasanna issued the ruling and ordered notice to be sent to Bescom and the state government.

The petitioner has contested a Bescom message requesting that she pay Rs 8,800 to have a smart metre installed.

On March 29, she requested that a single-phase metre connection be converted to a three-phase metre connection for her home in TB Natayanappa Layout.

Senior advocate Prabhuling Navadgi appeared for the petitioner and said that while the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) states that smart metres are optional except for temporary connections, Bescom has made them mandatory. The installation of a metre, which would normally cost Rs 2,000 in Karnataka, now costs Rs 8,510, placing a significant burden on the user.

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In neighbouring states, the same is accessible for Rs 900. Because the entire process is now outsourced to commercial firms, Navadgi said that making smart meters mandatory would be difficult to implement.

Justice M Nagaprasanna had several concerns for the respondents and questioned whether providing freebies was the cause of the issue.

"Advocates say that in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, it costs Rs 900. Where will poor people go? Who asked for free electricity? This is what you should reduce. You have outsourced the thing. Now if you say all permanent connections must have smart metres, where will the poor go?" the judge orally said and adjourned the hearing to June 4.