Agartala, 10th August 2026: Consumers staged a protest in front of the Jirania Electricity Department on Monday, raising concerns over smart meter billing, recharge procedures and alleged deductions from prepaid electricity balances.
Several women consumers from the Jirania College Choumuhani area alleged that the amount they recharge does not provide the expected number of electricity units. One consumer said she had recharged Rs 1,000 in the previous month but received only around 160 units. She also claimed that when she attempted to recharge Rs 2,000 at one go, she was allegedly asked to make the payment differently.
The protesters questioned how electricity units are calculated against recharge amounts and sought greater clarity on deductions made through the online smart meter system. Some consumers said they were unable to understand the technical aspects of online deductions and were dependent on information provided by officials or personnel at the recharge counter.
During the protest, consumers also questioned how much recharge is required for households consuming around 700–800 units and expressed concern that even smaller recharges of Rs 500 or Rs 1,000 do not last for long.
The protesters demanded transparency in smart meter billing and recharge calculations, along with a clear explanation of the deductions and units credited to consumers. They urged the electricity authorities to address their grievances and provide consumers with detailed information about the functioning of the smart meter system.
