Federal Minister Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari issued formal directives to implement a comprehensive reform framework for electricity distribution companies. The Power Division now mandates that all distribution companies issue detection bills only through the centralized online portal created by PITC.
Field staff and SDOs are prohibited from issuing manual or discretionary detection bills. Officials will treat the issuance of manual bills as severe misconduct, making such actions liable to major penalties and strict disciplinary proceedings.
Companies must now replace burnt or defective meters immediately or within a maximum of two billing cycles. Billing during the meter replacement period is restricted to a maximum of two months.
Adjustments for fast or slow meters are confined strictly to the preceding two billing cycles. The proposed chargeable period for illegal abstraction by general consumers is fixed at three billing cycles.
Registered consumers face a maximum chargeable period of detection capped at six months, while unregistered consumers are capped at 12 months. Boards of Directors and Customer Services Committees of distribution companies must conduct monthly reviews to scrutinize detection bills.
Proposed amendments to the Consumer Service Manual will be submitted in the coming days.
