THE INDIAN ELECTRICITY ACT, 1910

Year : 1910

ACT No. 9 OF 1910 1*
[18th March, 1910.]


An Act to amend the law relating to the supply and use of electrical energy.

WHEREAS it is expedient to amend the law relating to the supply and use of electrical energy; It is hereby enacted as follows:-

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Extended to the Union Territory of the Laccadive, Minicoy and Amindivi Island (w.e.f. 15.10.1970), vide Reg. 2 of 1970, s. 2 & Sch. Extended to Goa, Daman and Diu with modifications, by Reg. 12 of 1962, s. 3 & Sch.Extended to and brought into force in Dadra and Nagar Haveli (w.e.f.1.7.65) by Reg. 6 of 1963, s. 2 & Sch.I
Amended in Bihar by Bihar Act 15 of 1975.Amended in Madhya Pradesh by M.P. Act 19 of 1974.Amended in Maharashtra by Maha Act 63 of 1974.Amended in Uttar Pradesh by U.P. Act 14 of 1976.Amended in Haryana by Harayana Act 13 of 1975.Amended in Punjab by Punjab Act 10 of 1978.Amended in Tamil Nadu by T.N. Act 39 of 1980.Amended in Assam by Assam Act 90 of 1973.1. It has been amended in its application to Bombay by Bom. Act 18.of 1946; to the Punjab by Pun. Act 6 of 1939, as amended (with effect from 1st November, 1940) by Pun. Act 11 of 1941; to Bihar by Bihar Act 29 of 1950; in Madhya Pradesh by Madhya Pradesh Act
17 of 1951 and in U.P. by U.P. Act 29 of 1956. It has also been supplemented in U.P. by the U.P. Sales of Electricity Surcharge
Act, 1942 (U.P. 10 of 1942).

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PART I
PRELIMINARY

Section -1 Short title.

(1) This Act may be called the Indian Electricity Act, 1910.

1*[(2) It extends to the whole of India 2*[except the State of Jammu and Kashmir].]

(3) It shall come into force on such 3*date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, direct in this behalf.

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1. Subs. by the A.O. 1950 for the former sub-section (2).

2. Subs. by Act 3 of 1951, for "except Part B States".

3. 1st January, 1911, see Gazette of India, 1910, Pt. I, p. 1236.

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Section -2 Definitions.

In this Act, expressions defined in the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 (13 of 1885), 1*[or in the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948 (54 of 1948), have the meanings assigned to them in either of those Acts], and, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,-

1*[(a) "Appropriate Government" means in relation to any works or electric installations belonging to, or under the control of, the
Central Government or in relation to any mines, oil-fields, railways, aerodromes, telegraphs, broadcasting stations and any works of defence, the Central Government, and in any other case, the State
Government;]

(b) "Area of supply" means the area within which alone a licensee is for the time being authorized by his license to supply energy;

(ba) "Area of transmission" means the area within which a transmission licensee or any other person is for the time being authorised to transmit energy;

(bb) "Central Commission" means the Central Electricity Regulatory
Commission established under sub-section (1) of section 3 of the
Electricity Regulatory Commissions Act, 1998;

(bc) "Central Transmission Utility"notified means the Utility notified by the Central Government under sub-section (1) of section 27A;]

1*[(c) "Consumer" means any person who is supplied with energy by a licensee or the Government or by any other person engaged in the business of supplying energy to the public under this Act or any other law for the time being in force, and includes any person whose premises are for the time being connected for the purpose of receiving energy with the works of a licensee, the Government or such other person, as the case may be;]

(d) "Daily fine" means a fine for each day on which an offence is continued after conviction therefor;

(e) "Distributing main" means the portion of any main with which a service line is, or is intended to be, immediately connected;

1*[(f) "Electric supply-line" means a wire, conductor or other means used for conveying, transmitting or distributing energy (whether by overhead line or underground cable), together with any casing, coating, covering, tube, pipe or insulator enclosing, surrounding or supporting the same or any part thereof, or any apparatus connected therewith for the purpose of so conveying, transmitting or distributing such energy and includes any support, cross-arm, stay, strut or safety device erected or set up for that purpose;]

1*[(g) "Energy" means electrical energy-

(i) Generated, transmitted or supplied for any purpose, or

(ii) Used for any purpose except the transmission of a message;]

2*[(ga) "Government company" shall have the meaning assigned to it in section 617 of the Companies Act,1956;

(gb) "Inter-State transmission system" means,any system for the conveyance of energy by means of a main transmission line from the territory of one State to another State and includes;-

(i) The coneyance of energy across the territory of an intervening
State as well as conveyance within the State which is incidental to such inter-State transmission of energy;

(ii) The transmission of energy within the territory of a State on a system built,owned,operated, maintained or controlled by a Central
Transmission Utility or by any person under the supervision and control of a Central Transmission Utility;

(gc) "Intra-State transmission system" means any system for transmission of energy other than an inter-State transmission system;]

(h) "Licensee" means any person licensed under Part II to supply energy;

(i) "Main" means any electric supply-line through which energy is, or is intended to be, supplied 1*** to the public;

2*[(ii) "Overhead line" means an electric supply-line which is placed above ground and in the open air but does not include live rails of a traction system;]

(j) "Prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act;

(k) "Public lamp" means an electric-lamp used for the lighting of any street;

3*[(l) "Service line" means any electric supply-line through which energy is, or is intended to be, supplied 4***-

(i) To a single consumer either from a distributing main or immediately from the 3*[suppliers premises], or

(ii) From a distributing main to a group of consumers on the same premises or on adjoining premises supplied from the same point of the distributing main;]

5*[(la) "State Commission" means the State Electricity
Regulatory Commission established under sub- section (1) of section 17 of the Electricity Regulatory Commission Act,1998;

(lb) "State Electricity Board" in relation to any State means the
State Electricity Board,if any, constituted for that State under section 5 of the Electricity (Supply) Act,1948 and includes any Board which functions in that State under sections 6 and 7 of the said Act;

(lc) "State Transmission Utility" means the utility notifified by the
State Government under sub- section (1) of section 27B;]

(m) "Street" includes any way, road, lane, square, court, alley, passage or open space, whether a thoroughfare or not, over which the public have a right of way, and also the roadway and footway over any public bridge or cause way; and

6*[(ma) "Transmission license" means a license granted under Part IIA to transmit energy;

(mb) "Transmission licensee" means a person who holds a transmission license;

(mc) "Transmit" means conveyance of energy by means of transmission lines and the expression "transmission" shall be construed accordingly;"

7*[(n) "Works" includes electric supply-line and any building, plant, machinery, apparatus and any other thing of whatever description required to supply energy to the public and to carry into effect the objects of a license or sanction granted under this Act or any other law for the time being in force.]

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1. Subs. by Act 32 of 1959, s. 3, for the former clause.

2. Ins.by Act 22 of 1998. s. 2, w.e.f. 31.12.1998.

3. The words "by a licensee" omitted by s. 3, ibid.

4. Ins. by s. 3, ibid.

5. Subs. by Act 32 of 1959, s. 3, for "have the meanings assigned to them in that Act".

6. Subs. by s. 3, ibid., for the former clause.

7. Ins.by Act 22 of 1998, s.2 ( w.e.f. 31.12.1998 )

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