The North News
Chandigarh, November 28
The power sector employees and engineers across India staged coordinated protests against the proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2025 and what they describe as an accelerating push toward privatisation in several states. The demonstrations, held under the banner of the National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE), brought together unions and associations from across the country.
Shalendra Dubey, chair of the All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF), warned in Varanasi that a “nationwide agitation” would follow if the central and state governments did not reconsider ongoing privatisation efforts. He said the proposed bill would open the sector to private players and lead to steep tariff hikes, pushing electricity out of reach for low-income households and farmers.
According to AIPEF media adviser V.K. Gupta, protests were reported from across India — from Patiala, Jammu and Kashmir, and Dehradun to major metropolitan centres including Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ranchi, Guwahati and Lucknow. In Uttar Pradesh, the agitation was particularly intense in Varanasi and Agra, where employees demanded that the government withdraw the bill and halt privatisation in the state.
In Patiala, engineers and employee unions held a large rally in solidarity with power workers in Uttar Pradesh, who have completed a year-long struggle opposing privatisation and the draft legislation.
Union leaders in Jammu and Kashmir, including Pirzada Hidayatullah and Sachin Tickoo, said JKEEGA organised protests in Bemina, North Kashmir and across 10 districts of Jammu province. In Tamil Nadu, Jayanthi T reported demonstrations by all local branches.
In Varanasi and in Agra, rallies drew significant crowds. Leaders of the Vidyut Karmchari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti in Uttar Pradesh said keeping the power sector in public hands was “a second fight for freedom”, invoking the legacy of freedom fighters Kartar Singh Sarabha and Bhagat Singh during the protests.
