CPI(M) demands roll back of electricity duty hike

CPI(M) State Secretariat member Ch. Babu Rao on Saturday (February 21) criticised the government for increasing the electricity duty by 94 paise per unit, thereby imposing an annual burden of ₹3,500 crore on consumers amid claims to have reduced the charges by 13 paise per unit.

The government gave the duty hike a legal backing by having the A.P. Electricity Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2026 passed in the Legislative Assembly on February 18 without any concern for those who have to bear the burden, he said in a press release. 

Mr. Babu Rao said the YSRCP government had issued G.O. No.7 on April 8, 2022 for increasing the duty from 6 paise to ₹1 per unit, but the High Court struck down the G.O. after it was challenged by several organisations and consumers. The TDP had at that time strongly opposed the duty hike.

Now, instead of rectifying the mistake, the TDP-led coalition government supported the hike and issued an ordinance on December 19, 2024, for going ahead with the increased electricity duty and even approached the Supreme Court to overturn the HC orders. 

While granting a stay on refund, the apex court upheld the HC’s view that the hike was illegal. Nevertheless, the above Bill was passed in the Assembly, which paved the way for collecting ₹1 per unit from all but domestic consumers, with retrospective effect from August 2021, said Mr. Babu Rao.

Further, he said the YSRCP was keeping quiet as it was responsible for the electricity duty hike and the coalition government has just set the stage for implementing the controversial decision. 

He demanded that the government withdraw the A.P. Electricity Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and refund the money already collected from consumers, failing which the CPI(M) and other parties would organise Statewide protests.