Burnt or Faulty Electricity Meter Not Replaced

Reviewed on: 2026-06-12.

After a voltage surge, Sunita's meter shows scorch marks and a blank display. She reports it on the helpline. Two weeks pass, no replacement, and a flat “average” bill arrives that is higher than her usual. Her two real problems are now clear: get the dangerous meter changed, and stop the inflated provisional billing while it sits there. Both have a defined route.

A burnt or dead meter is a safety issue first and a billing issue second. The meter is DISCOM property, so you never open or replace it yourself. Your job is to report it safely, get it changed within the time your state Supply Code allows, and make sure the bills for the faulty period are fair.

If the meter is smoking, sparking, or smells of burning, switch off the main supply if you can do so safely, keep people away, and call the DISCOM breakdown or emergency helpline. Treat it as an urgent fault, not a routine complaint. Do not let a private electrician touch a DISCOM meter, as unauthorised handling can trigger a tampering allegation against you.

1. Photograph and video the meter with date stamp, showing the burn marks or blank display and the meter serial number.
2. Register a fault complaint on the DISCOM helpline, app, website or WhatsApp, and get a docket or complaint number in writing. A verbal complaint with no number is almost impossible to escalate.
3. Back it with a written complaint the same day by email or portal, asking for three things together: replacement within the supply-code time, testing of the old meter, and provisional billing on your past average.

Every State Electricity Regulatory Commission publishes a Supply Code and Standards of Performance that fix the maximum days to replace a defective meter, and many provide compensation if that deadline is missed. The exact number varies by state, so look it up on your Commission's website, note the clause, and quote it in your complaint. If you cannot find it, ask the DISCOM in writing to confirm the applicable timeline. This converts a vague “we will do it soon” into a measurable obligation.

While the meter is dead, the bill should be provisional, based on your average consumption from earlier comparable months, not an inflated estimate. Keep your last six to twelve bills. If your usual usage is 200 units and a provisional bill demands 600, your bill history is the answer. Dispute an inflated provisional bill in writing at once, and ask that the period be re-adjusted to actual readings once the new meter is in. Pay the genuinely undisputed base amount under protest to avoid disconnection while you contest the rest.

It depends on the cause and the Supply Code. If the meter failed on its own or due to a supply-side fault, the DISCOM usually replaces it free. If the damage came from your wiring or tampering, a meter cost may be charged as the regulator allows. If a charge is added, ask the DISCOM in writing for the exact amount, the rule, and the basis for holding you responsible before you pay.

To,
The Assistant / Executive Engineer (Consumer Services),
[Name of DISCOM] - [Sub-division]

Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]

Subject: Burnt / faulty meter not replaced - request for replacement,
testing and provisional billing on average - Consumer No. [number]

Sir/Madam,

On [date] my meter (No. [number]) became [burnt / blank / faulty]. I
reported it on [date] and received complaint number [number]. Photographs
are enclosed. The meter is still not replaced.

I request:
1. Replacement within the time fixed by the [State] Supply Code;
2. Testing of the old meter and a copy of the test report stating the
   cause and any error;
3. Provisional billing on my past average, not an inflated estimate, with
   adjustment to actual readings after the new meter is installed;
4. If any meter charge is proposed, the exact amount, the rule, and the
   basis, in writing, before it is added.

If the meter is not replaced within the supply-code time, I will approach
the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum and the Electricity Ombudsman.

Yours faithfully,
[Name, consumer no., mobile, email]
Enclosures: photos, complaint acknowledgement, last 6-12 bills.

If your DISCOM is government-owned, RTI to its Public Information Officer forces it to record what it actually did. Ask for the status and file notings on your complaint number, the site inspection report and meter test report with the recorded cause and error, the prescribed maximum time to replace a defective meter and the compensation for delay, and the rule under any meter charge. A documented inspection or test report obtained this way strengthens a CGRF or ombudsman complaint. RTI cannot order the replacement, only the DISCOM, CGRF or ombudsman can, and it takes up to 30 days, so use it alongside the CGRF, not instead of it. A purely private DISCOM may be outside RTI; then RTI the State Commission for the regulations and use the consumer forums.

No. A burnt meter is a fire and shock hazard and it is DISCOM property. Switch off the main supply if safe, keep people away, and report it. Do not let an unauthorised electrician touch it.

Your state Supply Code and Standards of Performance fix the maximum days, and many states give compensation for delay. The number varies, so check your State Commission's website and quote the clause.

On a provisional basis using your average consumption from earlier months, adjusted to actual readings once the new meter is in. Keep past bills to check the provisional amount is fair.

Yes. Apply in writing for testing under the Supply Code, usually on a prescribed fee that is refunded if the meter is found defective beyond the allowed error. Ask for a copy of the test report.

The DISCOM usually pays if the meter failed on its own or due to a supply-side fault. A charge may apply if your wiring or tampering caused it. Demand the rule and reason in writing before paying.

For a public-sector DISCOM, yes. Ask the PIO for the complaint status, inspection and test reports, and the replacement timeline. For a purely private DISCOM, use the CGRF and ombudsman instead.

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Download the faulty meter replacement checklist (PDF).