SYSTEM SILENT ON TEZ PRATAP’S Rs. 3.5 LAKH ELECTRICITY BILL ARREARS

SYSTEM SILENT ON TEZ PRATAP’S Rs. 3.5 LAKH ELECTRICITY BILL ARREARS

7-DEC-ENG 12

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA--------------------------Lalu Prasad Yadav's elder son, former minister Tej Pratap Yadav, owes Rs 3.61 lakh in electricity bills. Questions are being raised about why the department disconnects the smart meters of ordinary citizens in minutes, but leaves his private residence untouched for three years.

The issue of electricity bills is once again resonating in Bihar politics, and this time the target is Lalu Prasad Yadav's elder son, former minister Tej Pratap Yadav. The matter is not just about the Rs 3.61 lakh electricity bill that has been outstanding for three years, but about the political system that disconnects the smart meters of ordinary citizens in minutes, but leaves the private residence of a public representative untouched for three years.

Smart meters have been installed in every house in the state so that the electricity supply is automatically cut off in the prepaid system as soon as the usage limit is reached. But Tej Pratap Yadav's private house in Beur still has a postpaid meter, as if the government rules have been "suspended" at this one address. No payment was made on consumer ID 101232456 from July 2022 to November 2025, but the connection remained active.

This is the same house where Tej Pratap frequently visits, even though he resides in a government residence. He last paid Rs 1,04,799 on July 20, 2022. After that, for three years, neither was any payment made nor was the connection disconnected, even though the electricity bill for November 2025 clearly shows that the energy arrears are Rs 2,30,160, late payment charges Rs 23,681, other charges Rs 71,142—a total outstanding amount of Rs 3,24,974. The state regulations clearly state that connections should be disconnected immediately if the outstanding amount exceeds 25,000 rupees, but in Tej Pratap Yadav's case, this "law" remained suspended in thin air, like a fortune teller's prediction.

Energy Department General Manager Arvind Kumar stated that the department does not give any concessions to elected representatives; they only recognize the consumer ID. However, the reality is that on November 30, the department ordered all engineers to take action against those with outstanding dues, while Tej Pratap's connection remained untouched.

Due to the 125 units of free electricity scheme, people are not paying their old dues, and the department is charging a 1.5% monthly interest. To increase recovery, teams of three personnel each have been formed, who will visit the homes of 30 major defaulters daily with e-wallets.

But the big question remains: does the meter also start running in "VIP mode" in the corridors of power?