GOI — India mulls allowing private labs to test electricity meters, boosting consumer rights

The Indian government is proposing a policy change that would authorize private laboratories to test electricity meters, giving consumers an independent channel to verify disputed power bills. The Department of Consumer Affairs is drafting the proposal to end the near-monopoly of power distribution companies (discoms) on meter testing. Currently, consumers must rely on labs operated or designated by the utility itself, a process consumer groups argue lacks independence.