Pradhan demands removal of infrastructure, cites gram sabha resolution and pending PIL
Bilaspur (Himachal Pradesh): Vinay Sharma, pradhan of Kapahra gram panchayat in Bilaspur district, has served a notice on the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) asking the utility to remove its electricity poles, wires and other infrastructure from land under his control within 24 hours, after his power connection was disconnected for refusing to have a smart meter installed, local sources reported.
Instead of seeking restoration of his power supply, Sharma has demanded that the department dismantle and remove its assets from the property and compensate him for the period during which the board used his land, according to the notice reported. The pradhan said he issued the same 24-hour deadline that he was given by the board before his connection was disconnected.
“When the electricity board has unilaterally decided to stop its services to me, why should I allow the board to use my land?” Sharma said.
The confrontation follows the gram panchayat's opposition to the installation of smart electricity meters. The gram sabha passed a resolution against the meters and a public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Himachal Pradesh High Court challenging installation without consumers' consent, the report said.
- Disconnection timeline: HPSEBL issued a notice on October 14 and disconnected Sharma’s supply on the following day, when he reportedly was not at home.
- Primary grievance: The panchayat has raised concerns about consent, possible inflated bills, control of meters by a private company and replacement costs for poor households.
- Escalation: Kapahra panchayat plans to block the Shimla–Dharamsala highway on Monday and says residents from other panchayats will join the proposed blockade.
Concerns on consent, costs and control over smart meters
Sharma questioned the legality of the disconnection, saying he had been a regular payer of electricity bills and that the board disconnected his supply despite being informed about the panchayat resolution and the pending court proceedings. He and other residents argued that smart meters were being installed without explicit consumer consent and raised several objections.
Among the concerns cited by the pradhan are the possibility of inflated bills if meter management rests with a private company, and the financial burden on poor households should a smart meter become damaged or require replacement. The report noted that a smart meter is said to cost around ₹10,000, a figure invoked by opponents to highlight potential liabilities for consumers.
| Event | Date / Detail |
|---|---|
| HPSEBL notice to Sharma | October 14 |
| Disconnection of supply | October 15 (reported) |
| Panchayat ultimatum to remove infrastructure | 24-hour notice by Sharma (date of notice reported contemporaneously) |
| Proposed protest | Blockade of Shimla–Dharamsala highway on Monday; other panchayats may join |
The dispute in Kapahra reflects wider unease in some quarters about roll-out of smart meters, where questions of consent, data control and cost liability have become focal points. The pradhan and his supporters have chosen a confrontational route by demanding removal of infrastructure rather than pursuing immediate reconnection, signalling an escalation that could affect road traffic and public order if the proposed blockade goes ahead.
The report did not include a response from HPSEBL. The utility's position on the disconnection, the grounds for issuing the October 14 notice or its plans for further action were not detailed in the account available.
Locally, the case is likely to draw attention to the legal and administrative balance between a utility’s right to manage meter installations and consumers’ claims of procedural and financial safeguarding. With a PIL pending in the High Court and a gram sabha resolution already passed, the matter may move through judicial and administrative channels even as street-level protests are planned.
