CM Omar Abdullah's U-Turn on 'prepaid meters' triggers anger across Jammu Kashmir

October 17, 2025 by News Desk

The National Conference government’s recent announcement on smart meter installation in Jammu Kashmir has sparked anger among opposition parties and residents who see it as a complete reversal of previous promises.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said the government aims to achieve 100 per cent metering for uninterrupted power supply across the union territory.

“Meters are the best solution for uninterrupted electricity supply. The more meters we install, the less electricity curtailment people will face, and the government will be able to supply more electricity. We are committed to achieving full coverage and 24×7 electricity for consumers,” Omar Abdullah told reporters.

Opposition parties and local residents have criticized the move, highlighting that the NC had consistently opposed smart meters in the past. On August 26, 2023, a one-day strike against smart meters in Jammu, organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industries-Jammu (CCI-J), received support from multiple political parties including the J&K Congress, National Conference, Shiv Sena (UBT), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), CPI(M), and the Jammu High Court Bar Association.

Earlier, on August 7, 2023, the National Conference held a protest at Guru Nanak Nagar, Jammu, led by Tejinder Pal Singh (Aman), District President of the Youth National Conference Jammu (YNC), opposing the installation of smart meters. Singh criticized the current administration for disregarding public sentiment and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of manipulating people for political gain, warning that the upcoming polls would reflect public dissatisfaction.

Similarly, on July 21, 2023, J&K National Conference Provincial President Rattan Lal Gupta had opposed the government’s decision to replace conventional meters with prepaid smart meters.

He argued that the main problems lay with corrupt staff and delinquent consumers, not the meters themselves. These incidents are among several where the NC has expressed consistent opposition to smart meter policies.

The CM’s announcement comes amid complaints of frequent power outages during the freezing winter. He noted that unscheduled cuts occur when consumers exceed their agreed electricity usage.

The installation of smart meters by Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) and Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (JPDC) had faced stiff opposition initially, with protests reported across Srinagar, Jammu, and other towns.

The NC’s alliance partner, Congress, had also opposed smart meters, with former J&K Congress president Vikar Rasool vowing to remove all meters if the party returned to power. Opposition PDP Media Head Syed Tajamul said the government was reneging on poll promises, including the provision of 200 units of free electricity, and warned that infrastructure improvements should not come at the expense of people’s livelihoods.

Awami Ittehad Party spokesperson Firdous Baba added that the government should focus on reclaiming power projects previously handed over to the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation rather than imposing smart meters on consumers.

KPDCL has stated that six lakh smart meters have been installed so far and aims to achieve full coverage in Jammu Kashmir by 2026.