If your new electricity connection is stuck past the legal deadline or your supply was cut without notice, you do not have to wait quietly. File a complaint with your discom on helpline 1912, then escalate to the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum, and finally appeal to the State Electricity Ombudsman if the forum fails you.
Quick answer: Log a complaint with your distribution company (discom) and quote the connection deadline under the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020. If unresolved, take it to the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF), which must decide within 45 days. Still stuck? Appeal to the State Electricity Ombudsman. You may also claim compensation for the delay.
The Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020 is a central law that, for the first time, wrote down what every power consumer in India is entitled to. It fixes time limits for new connections, sets standards of performance for the discom, creates a tiered grievance system through the CGRF and the Electricity Ombudsman, and links breaches to compensation.
The framework comes from the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020, notified by the Ministry of Power under the Electricity Act, 2003.
RTI relevance: when a discom blames “pending file” or “technical reasons,” a Right to Information request to the public authority forces it to show the dated movement of your application, who held it, and why, which is powerful evidence at the CGRF.
The discom is not just expected to be helpful; it is held to measurable standards of performance set by the State Commission. Delay in connection, disconnection, reconnection or shifting beyond the notified limit triggers compensation. Because some of these parameters are tracked remotely, that compensation is meant to reach you automatically, without you begging for it. The exact rupee amount and the per-event limits are fixed by your state's Electricity Regulatory Commission, so the figure differs from state to state. Check your State Commission's standards-of-performance regulations for the number that applies to you, and claim it in the same CGRF complaint.
The single number to remember is 1912, the helpline allotted to electricity call centres for power-supply complaints across India. It works round the clock and is your first, time-stamped touchpoint, the proof that you raised the issue on a particular date.
Escalation at a glance
| Step | Where | Deadline | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Complaint | Discom / 1912 | Round the clock | Ticket number |
| 2. Connection clock | Discom office | 7 / 15 / 30 days | Breach if missed |
| 3. CGRF | Grievance Forum | Within 45 days | Order + compensation |
| 4. Appeal | State Ombudsman | After CGRF | Independent relief |
Illustrative case: Dr. Shrawan Kumar Pathak, rural connection delay
Dr. Pathak applied for a new domestic connection for a rural home and paid the estimate, but 40 days passed with no meter, well beyond the 30-day rural limit. He first called 1912, saved the complaint number, and wrote to the sub-division office quoting the connection deadline under the 2020 Rules. When nothing moved, he filed at the CGRF with his application, receipts and complaint trail, and asked for both connection and compensation for the delay. He also filed an RTI seeking the dated movement of his application file. The paper trail, not anger, is what gets these cases decided. This scenario is illustrative; your dates, fees and the compensation set by your State Commission will differ.
To: The Public Information Officer [Name of your distribution company / discom] Subject: Information under the RTI Act, 2005 - status of my new electricity connection Under Section 6(1) of the RTI Act, 2005, please provide: 1. The date my connection application no. ____ was received and the current status, with the dated file movement and names of officers who handled it (Section 6(1)). 2. The standards of performance and compensation applicable to delay in new connections notified by the State Electricity Regulatory Commission. 3. The reason for the delay beyond the time limit under the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020. I enclose the application fee of Rs 10. Reply within 30 days under Section 7(1); silence is a deemed refusal under Section 7(2). Name, address, date, signature
Under the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020, the maximum is 7 days in metro cities, 15 days in other municipal areas and 30 days in rural areas. Beyond that, the discom is in breach and you can complain and claim compensation.
Raise it on 1912 at once and ask for restoration, then put your demand in writing to the discom office. If supply is not restored or the cut was wrongful, escalate to the CGRF, which must decide within 45 days, and ask for compensation for the failure of supply.
Compensation exists for breaches of the standards of performance, including connection delays, and is automatic for parameters monitored remotely. The actual rupee amount and per-event limits are set by your State Electricity Regulatory Commission, so check your state's standards-of-performance regulations and claim that figure in your CGRF complaint.
Treat it like any other supply or billing grievance. Log it on 1912 for a ticket, ask the discom in writing for the meter data and the basis of the dispute, and if unresolved take it to the CGRF and then the Ombudsman. An RTI to the discom can extract the meter readings and the dated record behind the dispute.
The CGRF is the first forum inside the discom's redressal system and must decide within 45 days. The State Electricity Ombudsman is the higher, independent appeal authority you approach when you are dissatisfied with the CGRF's decision.
1912 is the number allotted to electricity call centres for power-supply complaints and works round the clock. It connects you to your local discom's centre. Whether the call is toll free depends on your discom, but the complaint ticket you get is valuable proof either way.
For a full strategy on using RTI to unstick stuck government and utility files, read The RTI Playbook.