Haryana strike continues: EEFI asks for a Section 108 direction against the parallel licence

The Electricity Employees’ Federation of India salutes the power employees and engineers of Haryana who are continuing their three-day statewide strike under the Haryana Electricity Employees and Engineers Joint Struggle Front. The strike is against the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission’s order of 19 October 2026, which granted a parallel distribution licence to Eleven Power Private Limited for Gurugram and Nuh.

The strike has shown the determination of employees, engineers, consumers and farmers to defend public electricity distribution. EEFI repeats its full support to the struggle, and its demand that the licence be cancelled at once.

The Government of Haryana has held meetings with the unions and has indicated that it is ready to issue a policy direction under Section 108 of the Electricity Act, 2003. That step is necessary. An appeal before the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity is not a substitute for a clear policy. Section 108 empowers the state government to issue directions in matters of policy involving public interest, and the Commission is to be guided by them. EEFI has already given the government a draft direction. It records that parallel licensing is not the policy of the state, and that distribution is to continue through the existing public utilities.

In Karnataka, a clear public stand by the Chief Minister against parallel licensing compelled Tata Power to withdraw its applications. EEFI demands that the Chief Minister of Haryana make the same kind of public announcement: that Eleven Power Private Limited will not be permitted to carry on the business of parallel distribution of electricity in the state. The government must act without delay. It must issue the Section 108 direction, place that direction on record in the appeal, seek a stay, and withhold every right-of-way and clearance for a parallel network.

The letter to the Chief Minister records that Eleven Power filed a caveat before the Appellate Tribunal on 21 October 2026. The caveat names the state utilities, EEFI and other objectors as expected appellants, and asks that no interim order be passed without notice to the company. The letter therefore asks the government to file the appeal promptly. It asks four things: issue the enclosed draft direction without delay; a public announcement by the Chief Minister that parallel licensing is not the policy of Haryana, and that Eleven Power will not be permitted to distribute in parallel in the state; pursue the appeal with seriousness, seek a stay, and place the Section 108 direction on the record; and give no right-of-way, land, clearance or other help for a parallel network or for consumer migration while the appeal and the direction are pending.

The enclosed draft, for the Department of Power, states that parallel distribution licensing is not in the public interest, and that distribution in Haryana shall continue through the existing public utilities. The Commission is to be guided by that policy in any implementation, modification, extension or further grant of a parallel licence, including the licence given to Eleven Power for Gurugram and Nuh. No step that builds a parallel network, grants a right-of-way or clearance for it, or migrates consumers away from the incumbent licensee is to be taken inconsistently with this policy, while the appeal is pending. In any proceeding on that licence the Commission is to have due regard to residual consumers, cross-subsidy, stranded power-purchase and network costs, the universal service obligation, and the finances of the public utilities. The direction is to be placed before the Appellate Tribunal and sent to the Commission, the state transmission and distribution utilities, and the departments concerned.

EEFI warns against any attempt to suppress the strike through force, ESMA, FIRs or victimisation. The fight in Haryana is a fight to defend public electricity distribution against corporate profiteering. EEFI calls on its constituent organisations across the country to intensify solidarity actions.