2 min readChandigarhAug 13, 2026 05:12 PM IST
First published on: Aug 13, 2026 at 04:40 PM IST
Months after Chandigarh’s power sector was privatised, the Centre said that over 9,000 billing-related complaints were registered during the 2025-26 fiscal.
The Union Ministry of Power provided the details in Parliament in reply to a query posed by Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari.
The government, however, has not provided a category-wise comparison of average electricity bills before and after privatisation after being specifically asked for the data by Tewari.
Quoting the data of Chandigarh Power Distribution Limited (CPDL) that took over the entire power distribution and retail supply business of Electricity Wing of the Engineering Department, Chandigarh (EWEDC), the Centre stated that 9,257 complaints were recorded and resolved.
The figure assumes significance as a new tariff regime came into effect in Chandigarh from November 1, 2025.
The complaints were resolved through CPDL’s Customer Relationship Management system, with responses communicated to consumers through digital and other channels.
The bigger question: where is the bill comparison?
Despite the detailed parliamentary query, the Centre has not furnished the most basic consumer-facing data — whether the average monthly electricity bill has actually gone up or down after privatisation.
Tewari had sought category-wise pre- and post-privatisation average bills, along with a formal impact assessment comparing tariffs, billing accuracy and operational efficiency. The reply instead largely explains the regulatory framework and refers to the revised tariff orders of JERC.
Reacting to the answer, Tewari said: “Look how detailed the question is and how evasive the answer is that it elevates obfuscation to an absolute fine art.”
He also questioned the pace of smart-meter installation, saying Chandigarh consumers know that smart meters are optional and not compulsory, and pointed specifically to the 2,037 smart meters installed post-privatisation.
Calling the reply disappointing, Tewari said it was reflective of “how Parliament has been dumbed down by the executive since 2014.”
Smart-meter rollout remains limited
The Centre also mentioned that only 3,300 additional smart meters have been installed post-privatisation across different categories, taking the total number of smart meters in Chandigarh to 27,100
The Centre has not furnished the most basic consumer-facing data — whether the average monthly electricity bill has actually gone up or down after privatisation. 
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