The ELECTRICITY ACT, 2003

PRELIMINARY

Section 1 — Short title, extent and commencement.

(1) This Act may be called the Electricity Act, 2003.

(2) It extends to the whole of India [Omitted] .

(3) It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification, appoint:

Provided that different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act and any reference in any such provision to the commencement of this Act shall be construed as a reference to the coming into force of that provision.

Browse all 189 sections
  1. 1.Short title, extent and commencement.
  2. 2.Definitions.
  3. 3.National Electricity Policy and Plan.
  4. 4.National policy on stand alone systems for rural areas and non-conventional energy systems.
  5. 5.National policy on electrification and local distribution in rural areas.
  6. 6.Joint responsibility of State Government and Central Government in rural electrification.
  7. 7.Generating company and requirement for setting up of generating station.
  8. 8.Hydro-electric generation.
  9. 9.Captive generation.
  10. 10.Duties of generating companies.
  11. 11.Directions to generating companies.
  12. 12.Authorised persons to transmit, supply, etc., electricity.
  13. 13.Power to exempt.
  14. 14.Grant of licence.
  15. 15.Procedure for grant of licence.
  16. 16.Conditions of licence.
  17. 17.Licensee not to do certain things.
  18. 18.Amendment of licence.
  19. 19.Revocation of licence.
  20. 20.Sale of utilities of licensees.
  21. 21.Vesting of utility in purchaser.
  22. 22.Provisions where no purchase takes place.
  23. 23.Directions to licensees.
  24. 24.Suspension of distribution licence and sale of utility.
  25. 25.Inter-State, regional and inter-regional transmission.
  26. 26.National Load Despatch Centre.
  27. 27.Constitution of Regional Load Despatch Centre.
  28. 28.Functions of Regional Load Despatch Centre.
  29. 29.Compliance of directions.
  30. 30.Transmission within a State.
  31. 31.Constitution of State Load Despatch Centers.
  32. 32.Functions of State Load Despatch Centers.
  33. 33.Compliance of directions.
  34. 34.Grid Standards.
  35. 35.Intervening transmission facilities.
  36. 36.Charges for intervening transmission facilities.
  37. 37.Directions by Appropriate Government.
  38. 38.Central Transmission Utility and functions.
  39. 39.State Transmission Utility and functions.
  40. 40.Duties of transmission licensees.
  41. 41.Other business of transmission licensee.
  42. 42.Duties of distribution licensee and open access.
  43. 43.Duty to supply on request.
  44. 44.Exceptions from duty to supply electricity.
  45. 45.Power to recover charges.
  46. 46.Power to recover expenditure.
  47. 47.Power to require security.
  48. 48.Additional terms of supply.
  49. 49.Agreements with respect to supply or purchase of electricity.
  50. 50.The Electricity supply code.
  51. 51.Other businesses of distribution licensees.
  52. 52.Provisions with respect to electricity trader.
  53. 53.Provision relating to safety and electricity supply.
  54. 54.Control of transmission and use of electricity.
  55. 55.Use, etc., of meters.
  56. 56.Disconnection of supply in default of payment.
  57. 57.Standards of performance of licensee.
  58. 58.Different standards of performance by licensee.
  59. 59.Information with respect to levels of performance.
  60. 60.Market domination.
  61. 61.Tariff regulations.
  62. 62.Determination of tariff.
  63. 63.Determination of tariff by bidding process.
  64. 64.Procedure for tariff order.
  65. 65.Provision of subsidy by State Government.
  66. 66.Development of market.
  67. 67.Provision as to opening up of streets, railways, etc.
  68. 68.Overhead lines.
  69. 69.Notice to telegraph authority.
  70. 70.Constitution, etc., of Central Electricity Authority.
  71. 71.Members not to have certain interest.
  72. 72.Officers and staff of Authority.
  73. 73.Functions and duties of Authority.
  74. 74.Power to require statistics and returns.
  75. 75.Directions by Central Government to Authority.
  76. 76.Constitution of Central Commission.
  77. 77.Qualifications for appointment of Members of Central Commission.
  78. 78.Constitution of Selection Committee to recommend Members.
  79. 79.Functions of Central Commission.
  80. 80.Central Advisory Committee.
  81. 81.Objects of Central Advisory Committee.
  82. 82.Constitution of State Commission.
  83. 83.Joint Commission.
  84. 84.Qualifications for appointment of Chairperson and Members of State Commission.
  85. 85.Constitution of Selection Committee to select Members of State Commission.
  86. 86.Functions of State Commission.
  87. 87.State Advisory Committee.
  88. 88.Objects of State Advisory Committee.
  89. 89.Term of office and conditions of service of Members.
  90. 90.Removal of Member.
  91. 91.Secretary, officers and other employees of Appropriate Commission.
  92. 92.Proceedings of Appropriate Commission.
  93. 93.Vacancies, etc., not to invalidate proceedings.
  94. 94.Powers of Appropriate Commission.
  95. 95.Proceedings before Commission.
  96. 96.Powers of entry and seizure.
  97. 97.Delegation.
  98. 98.Grants and loans by Central Government.
  99. 99.Establishment of Fund by Central Government.
  100. 100.Accounts and audit of Central Commission.
  101. 101.Annual report of Central Commission.
  102. 102.Grants and Loans by State Government.
  103. 103.Establishment of Fund by State Government.
  104. 104.Accounts and audit of State Commission.
  105. 105.Annual report of State Commission.
  106. 106.Budget of Appropriate Commission.
  107. 107.Directions by Central Government.
  108. 108.Directions by State Government.
  109. 109.Directions to Joint Commission.
  110. 110.Establishment of Appellate Tribunal.
  111. 111.Appeal to Appellate Tribunal.
  112. 112.Composition of Appellate Tribunal.
  113. 113.Qualifications for appointment of Chairperson and Member of Appellate Tribunal.
  114. 114.Term of office.
  115. 115.Terms and conditions of service.
  116. 116.Vacancies.
  117. 117.Resignation and removal.
  118. 117A.Qualifications, terms and conditions of service of Chairperson and Member.
  119. 118.Member to act as Chairperson in certain circumstances.
  120. 119.Officers and other employees of Appellate Tribunal.
  121. 120.Procedure and powers of Appellate Tribunal.
  122. 121.Power of Appellate Tribunal.
  123. 122.Distribution of business amongst Benches and transfer of cases from one Bench to another Bench.
  124. 123.Decision to be by majority.
  125. 124.Right of appellant to take assistance of legal practitioner and of Appropriate Commission to appoint presenting officers.
  126. 125.Appeal to Supreme Court.
  127. 126.Assessment.
  128. 127.Appeal to Appellate Authority.
  129. 128.Investigation of certain matters.
  130. 129.Orders for securing compliance.
  131. 130.Procedure for issuing directions by Appropriate Commission.
  132. 131.Vesting of property of Board in State Government.
  133. 132.Use of proceeds of sale or transfer of Board, etc.
  134. 133.Provisions relating to officers and employees.
  135. 134.Payment of compensation or damages on transfer.
  136. 135.Theft of Electricity.
  137. 136.Theft of electric lines and materials.
  138. 137.Punishment for receiving stolen property.
  139. 138.Interference with meters or works of licensee.
  140. 139.Negligently breaking or damaging works.
  141. 140.Penalty for intentionally injuring works.
  142. 141.Extinguishing public lamps.
  143. 142.Punishment for non-compliance of directions by Appropriate Commission.
  144. 143.Power to adjudicate.
  145. 144.Factors to be taken into account by adjudicating officer.
  146. 145.Civil court not to have jurisdiction.
  147. 146.Punishment for non-compliance of orders or directions.
  148. 147.Penalties not to affect other liabilities.
  149. 148.Penalty where works belong to Government.
  150. 149.Offences by companies.
  151. 150.Abetment.
  152. 151.Cognizance of offences.
  153. 151A.Power of police to investigate.
  154. 151B.Certain offences to be cognizable and non-bailable.
  155. 152.Compounding of offences.
  156. 153.Constitution of Special Courts.
  157. 154.Procedure and power of Special Court.
  158. 155.Special Court to have powers of Court of Session.
  159. 156.Appeal and revision.
  160. 157.Review.
  161. 158.Arbitration.
  162. 159.Protection of railways, highways, airports and canals, docks, wharfs and piers.
  163. 160.Protection of telegraphic, telephonic and electric signalling lines.
  164. 161.Notice of accidents and inquiries.
  165. 162.Appointment of Chief Electrical Inspector and Electrical Inspector.
  166. 163.Power for licensee to enter premises and to remove fittings or other apparatus of licensee.
  167. 164.Exercise of powers of Telegraph Authority in certain cases.
  168. 165.Amendment of sections 40 and 41 of Act 1 of 1894.
  169. 166.Coordination Forum.
  170. 167.Exemption of electric lines or electrical plants from attachment in certain cases.
  171. 168.Protection of action taken in good faith.
  172. 169.Members, officers, etc., of Appellate Tribunal, Appropriate Commission to be public servants.
  173. 170.Recovery of penalty payable under this Act.
  174. 171.Services of notices, orders or documents.
  175. 172.Transitional provisions.
  176. 173.Inconsistency in laws.
  177. 174.Act to have overriding effect.
  178. 175.Provisions of this Act to be in addition to and not in derogation of other laws.
  179. 176.Power of Central Government to make rules.
  180. 177.Powers of Authority to make regulations.
  181. 178.Powers of Central Commission to make regulations.
  182. 179.Rules and regulations to be laid before Parliament.
  183. 180.Powers of State Governments to make rules.
  184. 181.Powers of State Commissions to make regulations.
  185. 182.Rules and regulations to be laid before State Legislature.
  186. 183.Power to remove difficulties.
  187. 184.Provisions of Act not to apply in certain cases.
  188. 185.Repeal and saving.
  189. SCH-THE SCHEDULE.THE SCHEDULE