The All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) has sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for preventing the tabling of the Indian Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022 in Parliament on August 8.
Union Power Minister RK Singh has announced to table the bill in Parliament on August 8. The power engineers have demanded that the bill be referred to the standing committee of Parliament for a detailed discussion with all the stakeholders.
The National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE) and AIPEF have already served a notice on the power ministry and warned that if the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022 is tabled in Parliament, all power employees and engineers across the country would cease work and hold demonstrations throughout the day to register their protest.
AIPEF chairman Shailendra Dubey said the Union power minister approved the statement of objects and reasons of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022 on August 2. He said the minister approved the bill without obtaining the views of the different stakeholders.
Dubey said the Central government owed an explanation to the people as to why the bill was being rushed through and who were the hidden forces behind the bill.
He said the Central government had not put the draft bill on the website, and had failed to hold consultations with the stakeholders. He said consultation with states was a requirement of the Constitution that could not be bypassed as electricity was a concurrent subject in the Constitution.
The AIPEF said that in line with the fact that electricity was a concurrent subject, the state governments must be given adequate time and opportunity to put their views to the Central government so that the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022 could incorporate the views of the states to amend the bill accordingly within the framework of federal structure.