Chandigarh, Feb. 19 -- Chandigarh Power Distribution Limited (CPDL) has refunded meter rental charges to nearly two lakh consumers in compliance with directions issued by the joint electricity regulatory commission (JERC) and the electricity ombudsman.

The meter rental charges had earlier been abolished by JERC. However, the electricity wing of the engineering department, Chandigarh (EWEDC), continued to levy the charges between April 1, 2023, and November 5, 2024.

Following complaints by consumers, the consumer grievance redressal forum (CGRF) in November 2024 directed EWEDC to refund the amount collected during this period. As the directions were not implemented, the matter was escalated to the electricity ombudsman. Subsequently, the...