Sri Lanka Electricity Act 2009 · As enacted · Part III · Modification and Enforcement of Licences
50. Improper use of electricity to be an offence
Official English translation. The Sinhala text prevails.
Official translationFrom Department of Government Printing, unchanged
Without prejudice to the provisions of Schedule
II to this Act, every person who—
not being an authorized officer of a licensee, connects or disconnects any electric line through which electricity is or may be supplied by the licensee to or from any meter, indicator or other apparatus; or
without the consent of a licensee, lays or causes to be laid any electric line or connects up any electric line, equipment, apparatus, or works, for the purpose of establishing a connection with any electric line, apparatus or works belonging to a licensee, shall be guilty of an offence under this Act and shall be liable on conviction after summary trial before a Magistrate in addition to a penalty of not less than ten thousand rupees and not exceeding fifty thousand rupees, to a fine in a sum of money being the value of the loss or damage caused to the lincensee as a result of the act or default constituting such offence, and any sum recovered as such additional fine shall be paid to the licensee on application made to Court by such licensee.
Any person who aids or abets the commission of any offence punishable under this section shall be guilty of an offence under this Act and shall be liable to the same punishment as is provided for the principal offence. Where two or more persons are convicted of having committed the same offence, whether as principal or abettor, the value of such loss or damage may be apportioned among such persons and the amount so apportioned, shall be imposed on each of such persons as a fine.
A certificate issued by the licensee shall be received as proof of the value of such loss or damage in the absence of evidence to the contrary. In the absence of any agreement, a licensee may charge for energy supplied to any consumer in accordance with any method of charging provided for in the licence.
In the case of such offence being continued after conviction, there shall be imposed a further fine not exceeding five hundred rupees for each day on which such offence is being continued to be committed after conviction.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Code of Criminal Procedure Act, No.15 of 1979 , an offence under section 49 or this section shall be a cognizable offence and a non-bailable offence, within the meaning and for the purposes of that Act.