MARGAO
Awaken Goans have said the amicus curiae told the Goa Human Rights Commission on Wednesday how the Electricity Act is being violated by the Department — specifically Section 47(5) and Section 171 of the Electricity Act, 2003, which mandates a written notice to consumers, duly acknowledged, before even considering installation of Smart Meters.
“Today our smart meter matter came up for final argument before the Goa Human Rights Commission. The commission had taken suo motu cognisance of the issue regarding violation of human rights by forcefully replacing the existing meters of consumers with smart meters,” the NGO stated in a statement, adding that the 'Smart Meter Naka' group had strongly opposed this coercive move by the electricity department to install smart meters without the consent of the consumers.
The NGO said the amicus curiae had further brought to the notice of the commission that even the Union Minister for Power, on the floor of the Lok Sabha, is on record stating that installation of smart meters is not mandatory. The matter is now reserved for orders.
