Shimla— Days after actor-turned-BJP MP Kangana Ranaut alleged she received an “inflated” electricity bill of nearly ₹1 lakh for her unoccupied Manali residence, the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) has issued a detailed clarification, dismissing her claim as “completely wrong and misleading.”
At a recent public gathering in Mandi, a video of which went viral, Ranaut criticized the Congress-led state government, stating, “I received an electricity bill of ₹1 lakh for one month for my house in Manali. I don’t even live there. It is such a miserable condition.”
In response, HPSEBL explained that the ₹90,384 bill covered two billing cycles — January and February — and included previous unpaid dues of ₹32,287. The domestic connection (No.100000838073) at her Simsa village residence carries a connected load of 94.82 KW, which is nearly 1,500% higher than a standard domestic connection, the board stated.
The board further revealed that Ranaut had not cleared her bills for October to December 2024, leading to an accumulated outstanding amount of ₹82,061. The latest payment, made on March 28, included electricity consumption of around 14,000 units over the two months, consistent with her property’s average monthly usage of 5,000–9,000 units — significantly above that of a typical household.
Despite the high power consumption, HPSEBL confirmed that the connection remains eligible for state subsidies under the existing domestic power policy.
Ranaut, recently elected as the BJP MP from Mandi, has been vocal on governance issues and has frequently criticized the Congress administration in Himachal Pradesh. Her remarks on the electricity bill formed part of a broader commentary on alleged inefficiencies in the state’s public service delivery.
The post Kangana Ranaut’s ₹1 Lakh Power Bill Row: HPSEB Refutes Claim, Cites High Usage and Old Dues appeared first on Global Governance News- Asia's First Bilingual News portal for Global News and Updates.
