Srinagar, August 22: Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) State President , Vivek Bali has strongly criticised the latest 6.83% increase in electricity tariffs in Jammu and Kashmir, questioning the gap between the National Conference’s electoral promise of 200 units of free electricity and the growing financial burden on consumers.
Reacting to the tariff revision, Bali said the development raises serious questions about the government’s commitment to the assurances made to the people during the elections.
“The NC sought the people’s trust on the promise of 200 free units of electricity. People believed that commitment and expected meaningful relief in their household electricity bills. Instead, consumers are now facing a 6.83% tariff hike. The contrast between the promise of free electricity and the reality of higher bills is deeply disappointing,” Bali said.
Bali said the issue was not merely about the percentage increase in tariffs but about the political commitment made to the people. He pointed out that the promise of 200 units of free electricity was presented as a major relief measure and created legitimate expectations among households.
“People were asked to trust the promise, and they did. It is therefore fair for the people to ask what has happened to that commitment. When a government makes a clear electoral assurance, accountability demands that it explain the delay or failure to implement it,” he said.
The SBSP State President acknowledged that the government may face financial and administrative challenges, but said such difficulties cannot become a permanent justification for leaving major electoral commitments unfulfilled.
“People understand that governance comes with challenges, financial constraints and inherited problems. But accountability works both ways. If the government expects people to understand what it inherited, it must also remember what it promised before seeking their mandate,” Bali said.
Bali urged the Jammu and Kashmir Government to provide a clear and time-bound roadmap for implementation of the promised 200 units of free electricity and explain what measures will be taken to protect ordinary consumers from the impact of the latest tariff increase.
He said the government must place transparency and consumer interest at the centre of its electricity policy.
“People trusted the promise. Now it is the government’s responsibility to honour that trust. The people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve clarity, accountability and genuine relief—not merely another explanation,” Bali added.
