TECA seeks Appellate Tribunal bench in Coimbatore

COIMBATORE: The Tamil Nadu Electricity Consumers Association (TECA) has demanded regional benches of Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) in Coimbatore to ensure faster disposal of cases.

The Ministry of Power (MoP) proposal under Section 112 to increase the number of members of the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) from three to not more than seven is welcome.

“However, it should be recommended for providing regional benches of APTEL in key metropolitan centres such as Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, Bengaluru in Karnataka and Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh. This will ensure faster disposal of cases, reduce pendency, and enhance regional access to justice for consumers and stakeholders,” said L Santhosh, president of TECA, in a statement.

Welcoming the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which aims to introduce competition in electricity supply, enhance financial discipline, and improve accountability of distribution licensees, while ensuring subsidies for agricultural and low-income consumers remain safeguarded, the TECA has stated that competition in the supply of electricity will increase accountability and efficiency.

Shared use of distribution networks will eliminate duplication of infrastructure such as lines and substations, said Santhosh, while adding that reforms will reduce operational losses and lower the effective subsidy burden on state governments without altering the subsidised tariffs paid by the consumers.

The Electricity Council will act as a consultative platform for building policy consensus between the centre and states. “Thus, the Bill preserves state autonomy while providing a collaborative framework to strengthen the power sector and ensure affordable, reliable, and sustainable electricity for all,” he said.