Power Engineers stage nationwide protests against Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2025
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, March 10, 2026: Power sector engineers and employees staged widespread protests across several states, including Punjab, opposing the proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and raising concerns over the privatization of electricity distribution.
The demonstrations were held in major cities across states such as Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Gujarat and Assam.
According to V.K. Gupta, Media Advisor of the All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF), speakers at the protests expressed serious concerns about the financial weakening of public power distribution companies (DISCOMs), rising electricity tariffs for farmers and domestic consumers, and what they termed as the “privatization of profits and socialization of losses.”
The protesting engineers and employees demanded the immediate withdrawal of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2025 and called for the protection of cross-subsidy provisions that ensure affordable electricity for farmers and household consumers. They also urged the government to hold meaningful consultations with power sector employees, engineers, farmers and consumer organisations before introducing major reforms.
Shailendra Dubey, Chairman of AIPEF, said the proposed legislation could pose serious risks to farmers, consumers, power sector employees and the federal structure of the country. He alleged that the bill promotes privatization of electricity distribution, weakens social protections in the power sector and centralizes decision-making powers.
Suneel Grover Paron of AIPEF warned that the removal of cross-subsidy within five years could result in a sharp increase in electricity tariffs for agricultural consumers. He added that private distribution companies may avoid rural and low-revenue areas, potentially affecting reliable power supply in villages.
The federation also warned that allowing multiple distribution licensees in the same area could encourage private firms to focus only on high-paying consumers, leaving public DISCOMs with loss-making customers. They said such measures could lead to job insecurity for thousands of engineers and employees in the power sector.
Protesters also expressed concern that the proposed legislation could increase the central government’s control over electricity policies, despite electricity being a concurrent subject under the Constitution. The proposed creation of a National Electricity Council and expanded rule-making powers for the Centre could reduce the autonomy of state governments in determining tariffs, subsidies and distribution policies, they said.
The federation stressed that electricity must remain a public service ensuring affordable and reliable power for all citizens. There were apprehensions that the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2025 might be tabled in Parliament on March 10, 2026. However, according to the latest available information, the bill has not yet been included in the listed agenda of the current parliamentary session.