RTI for DHBVN / UHBVN — Electricity Bill, Connection and Meter Complaints in Haryana

Haryana's electricity distribution is handled by two state-owned companies — DHBVN (Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited) covering the southern districts and UHBVN (Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited) covering the northern and central districts. When a bill shows unexplained charges, a new connection application stalls for months, or a transformer failure leaves an area without power for days, the Right to Information Act, 2005 gives every citizen a direct legal tool: the right to access the official records that reveal what actually happened, who is responsible, and what the prescribed timelines require. This guide explains how to use that right with both Haryana DISCOMs.

Haryana's Electricity Distribution Structure

Electricity distribution in Haryana falls under the administrative oversight of the Power Department, Government of Haryana. The Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) — an independent statutory regulator established under the Electricity Act, 2003 — sets tariff orders, quality-of-supply standards, consumer protection regulations, and timelines for new connections that both DISCOMs must follow.

Both DHBVN and UHBVN are public authorities within the meaning of Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005, because they are substantially financed and controlled by the State Government of Haryana. RTI applications filed with either DISCOM are governed by Haryana's RTI framework, with second appeals going to the Haryana State Information Commission (HSIC) — not the Central Information Commission (CIC).

The HERC is a separate statutory body and a separate public authority. RTI applications about HERC's own regulatory decisions, tariff proceedings, or compliance monitoring go to the HERC's own SPIO, not to the DISCOM. Do not address a DISCOM RTI application to HERC.

DHBVN vs UHBVN — Which DISCOM Covers Your Area?

Understanding which DISCOM covers your district is the first step before filing. The name of your DISCOM is printed on your electricity bill header; if you have misplaced your bill, each DISCOM's website lists its service territory.

DHBVN (Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited) Website: dhbvn.org.in | Head Office: Vidyut Sadan, Shakti Bhawan, Hisar – 125 005 Service area: Southern Haryana — Gurugram, Faridabad, Hisar, Rewari, Bhiwani, Mahendragarh, and Sirsa districts. DHBVN covers both the National Capital Region satellite cities of Gurugram and Faridabad as well as the older agricultural and industrial belt of southern Haryana.

UHBVN (Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited) Website: uhbvn.org.in | Head Office: Vidyut Sadan, C-16, Sector 6, Panchkula – 134 109 Service area: Northern and central Haryana — Panchkula, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Panipat, Rohtak, Sonipat, Jhajjar, and Fatehabad districts. UHBVN covers the state capital region, the Indo-Gangetic agricultural belt, and the key industrial corridor districts of central Haryana.

If your district does not appear above or if your locality is near a district boundary, verify by checking your electricity bill. If you file with the wrong DISCOM, Section 6(3) of the RTI Act requires the receiving SPIO to transfer your application to the correct authority within five days and notify you.

What RTI Can Help You Get

An RTI application with DHBVN or UHBVN compels the company to put in writing the records that reveal the facts. This documented basis is essential for every effective complaint — whether at the DISCOM's Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF), before the HERC Electricity Ombudsman, or before the HSIC. Specifically, RTI to DHBVN or UHBVN can help you:

• Verify the basis of a disputed electricity bill — obtain the actual meter reading date and value, and confirm whether the reading was physical or estimated
• Establish whether estimated or average billing was used — find out for how many consecutive cycles the DISCOM generated bills without a physical meter reading
• Obtain a meter accuracy test history — confirm whether your meter has been tested, the result, and the consumer's right to request a formal meter test under HERC norms
• Track a transformer repair timeline — find out when the fault was reported, when the repair was sanctioned, which officer is responsible, and whether DHBVN's or UHBVN's own restoration norms have been breached
• Monitor the progress of a new connection application — know the exact processing stage, the responsible officer, and the HERC-mandated maximum timeline for releasing the connection
• Obtain supply outage frequency and duration data — get records of unplanned interruptions on your feeder during a given period, along with causes and restoration times
• Examine how a consumer complaint was resolved — find out how a helpline or office grievance was handled, whether it was closed, and who was responsible

Where to File: Sub-Division, Circle, or MD Office

Within each DISCOM, RTI applications can be filed at three levels:

Sub-Division Office SPIO (Sub-Divisional Officer, Operation): The SDO (Op.) is typically the designated SPIO at sub-divisional level. For queries about a specific transformer, a local feeder's outage history, billing records for your consumer account, or a new connection application submitted locally, filing at sub-divisional level produces the fastest and most targeted response. Your electricity bill shows the name of your Sub-Division or Division office.

Circle Office SPIO (Superintending Engineer): Each DISCOM has several Electrical Circles that supervise multiple Divisions. If your query spans multiple divisions or you are unsure which sub-division holds the relevant records, the Circle Office SPIO is a suitable point of filing.

Head Office SPIO (Managing Director's Office): The DHBVN Head Office at Hisar or UHBVN Head Office at Panchkula is always a safe option if you are uncertain about which field office holds the records. Under Section 6(3) of the RTI Act, if you file at the Head Office and the records are at sub-divisional level, the Head Office SPIO must transfer your application to the correct officer within five days and notify you.

First Appellate Authority: A senior officer within the same DISCOM, designated for this purpose. File here if the SPIO does not respond or gives an unsatisfactory response.

Second Appeal: Both DISCOMs are Haryana State Government bodies. Second appeals go to the Haryana State Information Commission (HSIC) under Section 19(3) of the RTI Act — not to the CIC.

How to File: Step by Step

Step 1: Identify Your DISCOM and Gather Reference Details

Before writing the application, collect the following from your electricity bill, DISCOM receipt, or complaint acknowledgment:

• Your consumer account number (also called service connection number) and meter number — printed on every bill
• The DISCOM name — DHBVN or UHBVN — as shown on your bill header
• The billing cycle in dispute (month and year)
• The complaint or grievance reference number if you have already contacted the helpline or visited an office
• Your new connection application reference number (if asking about connection status)
• The date and locality of the transformer fault or supply disruption (if asking about repair or outage records)
• The name of your Sub-Division or Division Office — identifiable from the bill header

Step 2: Draft Your Application Under Section 6

Use the sample RTI draft on this page as a template. Include only the questions relevant to your situation. Keep the language factual and specific — name the consumer account number, the billing period, the meter number, or the exact locality and feeder. Under Section 6(2) of the RTI Act, you are not required to give any reason for seeking the information.

Write an RTI, not a complaint. Ask for records, dates, names of responsible officers, and applicable norms. The information you receive becomes the basis for a separate, well-documented complaint or appeal.

Step 3: File Online or by Post

Online: Visit rtionline.haryana.gov.in, the official RTI portal of the Government of Haryana. Register or log in, select DHBVN or UHBVN as the public authority, complete the application form, upload your draft, and pay the ₹10 fee online. Save the acknowledgment number for tracking.

By post or in person: Submit a physical application to the SPIO at the relevant Sub-Division or Head Office, enclosing a ₹10 Indian Postal Order (IPO) drawn in favour of the "Accounts Officer, DHBVN / UHBVN" (verify the exact payee name at the office or portal). Keep the postal receipt and acknowledgment. BPL cardholders are fully exempt from the ₹10 fee under Section 7(5) of the RTI Act; attach a self-attested copy of your BPL ration card when submitting.

Step 4: Track Your Application

The DISCOM must respond within 30 days from the date of receipt of the application under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act. If the information concerns life or liberty — for example, a prolonged outage affecting a patient dependent on home medical equipment — the response is due within 48 hours under the proviso to Section 7(1). Track online applications through the Haryana RTI portal using your registration number.

Step 5: Appeal If Needed

First Appeal (Section 19(1)): If the DISCOM SPIO does not respond within 30 days, or if the response is incomplete or evasive, file a First Appeal with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) within the DISCOM. The First Appeal must be filed within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable. No fee is payable. The FAA must decide within 30 days (extendable to 45 days).

Second Appeal (Section 19(3)): If the FAA's decision is unsatisfactory or the FAA does not respond, file a Second Appeal with the Haryana State Information Commission (HSIC) within 90 days of the FAA's decision or the expiry of the FAA's decision period. Under Section 20 of the RTI Act, the HSIC can impose a penalty of ₹250 per day (up to ₹25,000) on the SPIO personally and may recommend disciplinary action.

Detailed Information You Can Request

Billing Records and Meter Readings

1. The actual meter reading recorded at consumer account no. XXX for each billing cycle in the last twelve months — the date of reading, the reading value (kWh), and whether each reading was physical or estimated
2. The basis for any estimated or average bill — the HERC order or internal DISCOM instruction under which estimation was applied, and the number of consecutive cycles billed without a physical reading
3. A complete bill computation for the disputed cycle — energy charges, fixed charges, fuel surcharge, electricity duty, rural electrification cess, late payment surcharge, arrears, and any other levy — with the HERC tariff order number and rate schedule for each component
4. The tariff category (domestic, commercial, agricultural, industrial, BPL, etc.) under which the consumer account is currently classified, and whether that classification was verified or changed in the last two years

Meter Testing and Accuracy

1. The date of installation of meter bearing Meter No. XXX at the above premises, and the date and result of the last accuracy test conducted by the DISCOM, including the percentage error recorded
2. The HERC-prescribed or DISCOM-prescribed interval for mandatory meter accuracy testing, and whether that interval has been exceeded for the above meter
3. The procedure under which a consumer can formally request a meter accuracy test, the authority competent to sanction it, and the maximum time prescribed for the DISCOM to conduct and report on the test
4. Whether a meter replacement or calibration has been sanctioned for this consumer account — if yes, the date of sanction and the expected execution date

Transformer Repair and Supply Restoration

1. The date on which the DISCOM received the fault report for the distribution transformer serving locality / feeder name, the reference number assigned, and the officer to whom the fault was assigned
2. The date of site inspection, the fault diagnosis recorded, and the date on which a work order or indent was raised for repair or replacement
3. The HERC-prescribed or DISCOM standard restoration timeline for a distribution transformer fault in an urban or rural area (as applicable), and whether that timeline was met — if not, the reason for the delay
4. The current status — date of restoration (if completed), or expected completion date and current stage of work (if still pending)

New Electricity Connection

1. The date on which new electricity connection application no. XXX was received at Sub-Division / Division Office, Location and the acknowledgment issued
2. The current processing stage and the specific reason for any delay beyond the HERC-prescribed or DISCOM-prescribed timeline for releasing a new connection
3. The name and designation of the officer currently responsible for the application
4. The HERC or DISCOM maximum prescribed timeline for provisioning a new domestic / commercial / agricultural connection from the date of a complete application

Consumer Complaints and Grievance Records

1. A copy of the action-taken report or resolution note for complaint reference XXX lodged on DD/MM/YYYY
2. The name and designation of the officer to whom the complaint was assigned and the date of assignment
3. Whether the complaint was closed — if yes, the basis on which it was recorded as resolved; if not, the current status and pending action required
4. Whether the matter was referred to the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF) and, if so, the CGRF hearing outcome

Parallel Remedies Alongside RTI

RTI and the consumer protection mechanisms below are complementary — using both together produces the best outcomes:

Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF): Both DHBVN and UHBVN have CGRFs constituted under HERC regulations and Section 42(5) of the Electricity Act, 2003. Consumers can approach the CGRF for billing disputes, connection delays, metering complaints, and service quality issues. An RTI response documenting the DISCOM's own records strengthens a CGRF complaint considerably.

HERC Electricity Ombudsman: If the CGRF does not resolve your grievance satisfactorily, you can escalate to the Electricity Ombudsman appointed by HERC under Section 42(6) of the Electricity Act, 2003. The Ombudsman can review CGRF decisions, direct the DISCOM to correct bills, pay compensation, and restore services within prescribed timelines.

Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC): HERC, headquartered in Panchkula, is the independent statutory regulator for the Haryana electricity sector. It is a separate public authority from DHBVN and UHBVN. Consumers can approach HERC directly for systemic complaints involving tariff violations, non-compliance with supply codes, or broader service quality failures. RTI applications to HERC about DISCOM compliance data — such as aggregate CGRF pendency or quality-of-supply reports — go to HERC's own SPIO, not to the DISCOM's.

Consumer Forum (District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission): Consumers facing financial loss due to deficient electricity service can approach the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. A documented paper trail from RTI responses is strong evidence before the consumer forum.

Haryana State Information Commission (HSIC): For RTI non-compliance specifically — if the DISCOM SPIO ignores your application or the First Appellate Authority gives no relief — the HSIC is the appropriate authority for a second appeal under Section 19(3) of the RTI Act, 2005. The HSIC is established under Section 15 of the RTI Act for Haryana State Government bodies and has the authority to impose penalties on the SPIO under Section 20, direct the DISCOM to furnish information, and recommend disciplinary proceedings. Filing a second appeal with the CIC will result in it being returned as not maintainable, since the CIC has no jurisdiction over Haryana state public authorities.