GITAM University Owes Rs 118 Crores to Electricity Dept

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Tuesday came down heavily on the electricity department over its failure to act against a large educational institution that has accumulated electricity dues of Rs 118 crore, while routinely disconnecting power supply of ordinary consumers for nominal arrears.

Expressing serious concern over this apparent double standard, Justice Nagesh Bheemapaka of the Telangana High Court summoned the superintending engineer, operation circle, Sangareddy, of the Telangana Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana Limited (southern discom, TGSPDCL) to appear before the court on December 22, and explain the circumstances relating to the continued supply of electricity to Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management (GITAM), Rudraram of Patancheru mandal.

The court was hearing a writ petition filed by GITAM challenging the demand notice dated September 12, issued by the superintending engineer seeking recovery of electricity arrears amounting to Rs 118.13 crore, which had accumulated from 2008-09, and proposing disconnection of power supply if the institution failed to clear the amount.

GITAM alleged that the demand notice was contrary to Regulation No. 7 of 2013 and violated the procedure prescribed under the Electricity Act, 2003. The institution claimed that the action of the electricity authorities infringed on its fundamental rights and sought setting aside of the demand order.

Opposing the plea, Southern Discom standing counsel N. Sreedhar Reddy submitted that the institution had filed a similar writ petition in 2020 challenging a demand notice dated September 17, 2020. Though an interim stay was initially granted in that case, the petitioner withdrew the petition.

Since then, the electricity dues had steadily accumulated and had now crossed Rs 118.13 crore, he informed the court. In view of the mounting arrears, a fresh demand notice was issued on September 12, 2025, which was now under challenge.

Justice Bheemapaka observed that no interim protection had been granted to the petitioner in the present writ petition. The court noted with concern that while electricity supply to an institution with massive pending dues continued uninterrupted, the department often disconnects power supply to poor consumers even for meagre arrears, sometimes without adequate notice.

Finding the issue to be serious, the judge directed the Sangareddy operation circle superintending engineer to appear before court on the next date of hearing on December 22, and explain the reasons for such differential treatment.