Calcutta High Court Dismisses PIL Against Smart-Electricity Meters Filed Over "Baseless Apprehension" That It Would Affect Thousands Of Jobs

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday dismissed a PIL filed on behalf of the Spot Billing Meter Readers Welfare Association, seeking directions against the installation of smart-billing electricity meters over apprehension that they would jeopardise the jobs of thousands of meter-readers.

While petitioner acknowledged that technology should not be resisted, he expressed concern that a wide-scale use of technology in meter-reading would render the jobs of most manual meter-readers irrelevant, thereby affecting their lives and livelihood.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Sivagnaman and Justice Ajay Kumar Gupta however assured the petitioners that human services cannot be dispensed with. "Even if it’s a smart-meter it can’t walk up to your office and say this is the reading…still people are required. Smart meter only means a better recording device, theft-proof and more accurate…this is all an apprehension.”

Upon the petitioner further arguing that his apprehension lay in the fact that smart meters would be able to self-report readings and no longer require anyone to physically take meter-readings anymore, Justice Sivagnaman stated, “No no…I have now a smart meter for almost 11 years in my residence in Chennai…but every time there is a meter-reader who comes with his own equipment…they won’t let you [administer it yourself].”

The PIL was dismissed with the bench opining, “We are of the view that such apprehension is absolutely baseless. There has been no material placed by the petitioner to show that meter-readers job would be rendered irrelevant by smart-meters.”

While the Writ petition was dismissed, the Court gave the petitioners liberty to approach any appropriate forums if their own rights were being affected in any way.

Coram: Chief Justice Sivagnaman and Justice Ajay Kumar Gupta

Case Title: Spot Billing Meter Readers Welfare Association v State of WB & ors

Citation: 2023 LiveLaw (Cal) 166