Today: 25 August 2025
28 November 2022
3 mins read

Electricity amendment bill unlikely to be tabled in Winter Session

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has given the committee three months to examine the proposed legislation and prepare a report on it…writes Animesh Singh

The controversial Electricity Amendment Bill, 2022 is unlikely to be tabled in the forthcoming Winter Session of the Parliament, which is scheduled to begin from December 7.

The reason being is that more than three months after the proposed legislation was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy, the panel would be holding its first meeting to discuss the legislation on December 1 — just six days before the commencement of the Winter session. BJP MP Jagdambika Pal heads the panel.

Though the proposed legislation was immediately referred to the Parliamentary panel by the Power Minister R.K. Singh on August 8, as soon as it was introduced in Lok Sabha amid vehement opposition to it, the bill was referred to the panel for discussion only on December 21.



Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has given the committee three months to examine the proposed legislation and prepare a report on it.

Now with the first meeting to discuss the legislation taking place only on December 1, the panel would be in a position to prepare a report on the bill after discussion only by February 2023, when the Budget session would be on.

Sources aware of developments said that if the panel is not able to finalise its views on the bill, then it may even get an extension.

After being referred to the Parliamentary panel on August 8, the bill could not be taken up for discussion by it since then, as the committee was reconstituted during the intervening period.

Pal took over as the chairman of the reconvened panel in October, which was earlier headed by JD-U MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lalan.

Earlier, when the bill was introduced by Power Minister R.K. Singh in Lok Sabha on August 8, it had to be referred to the Parliamentary panel after Opposition parties led by the Congress vehemently opposed it.

Several opposition MPs including Congress’ Manish Tewari, said that it should not have been introduced in the first place, as the bill usurps the rights of the states.

The bill seeks to facilitate usage of distribution networks by any entity which gets a distribution licence. This would allow consumers to choose services of any power supplier from among several players operating in a particular region, just like customers have the choice to select mobile networks.

Opposition parties led by the Congress and farmers’ associations have been complaining that well-off consumers would opt for private distributors at the expense of state-owned distribution companies. They have also alleged that the amendments in the legislation would allow private companies to pick and choose profitable distribution networks.

Farmers have been opposing the Electricity Amendment Bill, saying that power is an essential commodity which needs proper regulation and dominance of private distribution companies may harm the sector. Last week, they even undertook a march against it in all states.

On November 23, thousands of electricity workers and engineers from across the country, held a massive rally in the national capital, protesting against the bill under the aegis of All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF).

A resolution was passed in the rally warning the central government that any unilateral action to get the bill passed in Parliament without taking the electricity employees and engineers into confidence, would be strongly opposed and all 27 lakh employees and engineers would be forced to resort to a nation-wide movement against the bill and that the Central government would be responsible for it.

ALSO READ: India’s Constitution is not static, but a living document

Previous Story

‘Moments of modern art history’ for auction

Next Story

Be wealthy with ‘healthy’ lifestyle

Latest from India News

Harman’s Army Ready

Veteran drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh will retain the captaincy, leading a well-balanced side that blends experience with depth across all departments….reports Asian Lite News Hockey India on Wednesday named an 18-member squad for

India, UAE Boost Naval Ties

Both nations have stepped up naval cooperation in recent years, including bilateral exercises, port calls, and information-sharing mechanisms….reports Asian Lite News In a major push to maritime diplomacy, UAE Naval Forces Commander

GCCs Fuel India Reskilling

GCCs are expected to contribute 2 per cent of India’s GDP and generate 2.8 million jobs by 2030, according to the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) India’s reskilling market is witnessing

Modi, Putin Discuss Alaska

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sharing his assessment of last week’s meeting with US President Donald Trump in Alaska PM Modi reiterated India’s consistent stance
Go toTop

Don't Miss

NCP-SP releases list of 7 candidates

The party has named Prabhakar Gharge from Man, Arunadevi Pisal

98 Pakistani nationals return after being stranded in India for over a year

Among them was a family in which a baby girl