MP: Power consumers protest against pre-paid meter bills

Bhopal, Oct 6 Thousands of electricity consumers from across Madhya Pradesh gathered at Shahjahani Park in Bhopal on Monday to protest against the installation of prepaid smart meters.

The demonstration, organised under the banner of the Madhya Pradesh Electricity Consumers Association (MECA), began around 12:30 PM and saw participation from districts including Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur, Vidisha, Sehore, and Satna.

Protesters raised slogans against the government’s push for prepaid metering, calling it a burden on the poor and a violation of consumer rights. Many claimed that after the installation of smart meters, their electricity bills had doubled or even tripled, with some receiving bills twice a month.

Leader of the Opposition Umang Singhar raised alarm over Madhya Pradesh’s smart meter project, calling them “spy meters” and alleging serious privacy, security, and financial risks.

He cited foreign links, including Pakistani personnel, questionable contracts worth Rs 2,000 crore, and data misuse. With only 18 per cent of meters installed, complaints have surged.

Singhar demanded an immediate investigation into the companies involved, transparency in KYC data handling, and accountability from both state and central governments.

The protesters have argued that the move to install pre-paid meters violates Section 47(5) of the Electricity Act, 2003, which allows consumers to choose between prepaid and post-paid billing.

They demanded to halt the rollout, citing the lack of tariff clarity and the high cost of installation - reportedly Rs 6,000 per meter. To support their demands, the protesters presented various consumers who have been slapped with hefty power bills – a farmer in Guna district received a Rs 2 lakh bill for domestic power consumption.

--IANS

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