Right to enter Consumer Premises for electricity checking

During checking of electricity connection what step has to be followed before getting entry in consumer’s premise and what is the Right to enter Consumer Premises checking for electricity theft.

The electricity department officer or his authorized staff may, at any reasonable time, and on informing the occupier of his intention, enter any premises to which electricity is, or has been, supplied by the Licensee, of any premises or land, under, over, along, across, in or upon which the electric supply-lines or other works have been lawfully placed by the Licensee for the purpose of

(i) Inspecting, testing, repairing or altering the electric supply lines, meters, fittings, works, and apparatus for the supply of electricity belonging to the Licensee; or

(ii) Ascertaining the amount of electricity supplied or the electrical quantity contained in the supply; or

(iii) Removing where a supply of electricity is no longer required, or where the Licensee is authorized to take away and cut off such supply, any electric supply lines, meters, fittings, works, or apparatus belonging to the Licensee.

(a) Enter any premises or land referred to in clause 1 for any of the purposes mentioned therein;
(b) Enter any premises to which electricity is to be supplied by him, for the purpose of examining and testing the electric wires fittings, works, and apparatus for the use of electricity belonging to the consumer.

• Provided that no entry inside the domestic premises for inspection, search and seizure shall be carried out between sunset and sunrise.
• Provided also that inspection, search, and seizure at domestic place shall be carried out only in presence of an adult representative of the consumer, or in the presence of the magistrate.

What to do if consumer not allowed to check premise during electricity connection checking

Where a consumer refuses to allow a Licensee or any person authorized by him to enter his premises or land in pursuance of the provisions of clauses 4.30 or 4.31, when such Licensee or person has so entered, refuses to allow him to perform any act which he is authorized by those clauses to perform, or fails to give reasonable facilities for such entry or performance, the Licensee may, after the expiry of twenty-four hours from the service of a notice in writing on the consumer, cut off the supply to the consumer for so long as such refusal or failure continues.

Any officer authorized in this behalf by the State Government may

(a) Enter, inspect, break open and search any place or premises in which he has reason to believe that electricity has been or is being used unauthorisedly;
(b) Search, seize and remove all such devices, instruments, wires, and any other facilitator or article which has been or is being used for unauthorized use of electricity;
(c) Examine or seize any books of account or documents which in his opinion shall be useful for or relevant to, any proceedings in respect of the offense under subsection (1) and allow the person from whose custody such books of account or documents are seized to make copies thereof or take extracts therefrom in his presence.
The occupant of the place of search or any person on his behalf shall remain present during the search and a list of all things seized in the course of such search shall be prepared and
delivered to such occupant or person who shall sign the list. Right to enter Consumer Premises