AIPEF Opposes Electricity (Amendment) Bill, Privatization
AIPEF Opposes Electricity (Amendment) Bill, Privatization
New Delhi, June 12
The Federal Executive of the All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF), meeting on 12 June 2026, at Bengaluru adopted a series of important resolutions expressing serious concern over ongoing policy initiatives aimed at privatization and fragmentation of the public electricity sector and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting public ownership, consumer interests and the rights of power sector employees and engineers.
AIPEF meeting was presided by AIPEF Chairman Shailendra Dubey. P Rathnakar Rao Secretary General AIPEF, Er Basavanna President,Er Chandra Shekhar Desai General Secretary KEB Engineers Association alongwith senior office bearers of AIPEF mainly addressed in opening session of AIPEF Federal Executive meeting.
AIPEF strongly opposed the proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and demanded its immediate withdrawal, stating that the Bill is designed to facilitate privatization of electricity distribution through multiple licensees operating in the same area. The Federation warned that the proposed legislation would encourage cherry-picking of profitable consumers, weaken public DISCOMs, undermine the cross-subsidy framework, increase tariff burden on ordinary consumers and farmers, and adversely affect employees while eroding the federal structure of the power sector. AIPEF resolved to join nationwide resistance programmes if the Bill is introduced in Parliament during the forthcoming Monsoon Session.
The Federal Executive also strongly opposed Tata Power’s applications before the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission seeking Parallel Distribution Licences in nineteen districts covering all five ESCOMs of Karnataka. Also oppose distribution licence application for Gurgaon and Nuh in Haryana to Private Companies like, Eleven Power Ltd. AIPEF described the proposal as a backdoor route to privatization that would enable private entities to capture high-revenue consumers while weakening state-owned distribution companies and jeopardizing affordable electricity supply for domestic consumers, farmers and weaker sections. The Federation demanded immediate rejection of the applications and protection of the public distribution system.
AIPEF further opposed the creation of separate Agriculture DISCOMs in Andhrapradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Haryana and other states describing such restructuring as technically unjustified, financially unsustainable and detrimental to the integrated public utility model. The Federation observed that segregation of agricultural consumers would weaken cross-subsidy mechanisms, increase dependence on government subsidies, encourage Cherry picking, Make way for separate Discom licence for Industrial& Conmmercial category , create operational complications and pave the way for eventual privatization of profitable consumer segments. AIPEF urged Central and State Governments to strengthen existing public sector DISCOMs rather than fragment them.
AIPEF oppose the proposal of Deemed Distribution licence to Google AI Data centre in Andhrapradesh as it is discriminatory and threatens the financial viability of DISCOMs.
The Federal Executive also expressed strong opposition to the proposed Joint Venture and corporatization of the Ladakh Power Development Department (LPDD), emphasizing that electricity infrastructure in strategically important border regions must remain under full public ownership and control. AIPEF stated that public assets created through public investment should not be transferred to corporatized entities and called upon the Administration of Ladakh and the Government of India to abandon the proposal.
AIPEF reiterated its complete solidarity with the ongoing democratic movement of power employees and engineers in Uttar Pradesh against the privatization of Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited and Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited. The Federation demanded immediate withdrawal of privatization decisions and unconditional revocation of all punitive and repressive actions taken against employees and engineers participating in the movement. AIPEF warned that any further repression would invite nationwide resistance from the country’s power sector workforce.
The Federal Executive also unanimously demanded restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for power sector employees and engineers across the country. Noting the recent positive developments in Jharkhand and Rajasthan, AIPEF stated that pension is a social security right and an essential safeguard for employees working under hazardous and risk-prone conditions. The Federation called upon all State Governments to restore OPS for power sector personnel and ensure social security, dignity and financial protection after retirement.
AIPEF reaffirmed that electricity is an essential public service and not merely a commercial activity. The Federation resolved to continue united nationwide efforts to safeguard public ownership of generation, transmission and distribution utilities, protect consumer interests, ensure affordable electricity for all sections of society and defend the rights and social security of power sector employees and engineers across the country.
AIPEF Federal Executive meeting was attended by office bearers of 21 States namely Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Puducherry, Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand,Odisha, Damodar Valley Corporation, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Ladakh, Jammu Kashmir, Punjab, Uttrakhand, UP & Delhi.
