Sri Lanka Electricity Act 2024 · As enacted · Part XIII · General
42. Improper use of electricity to be an offence
Official English translation. The Sinhala text prevails. Open the official Sinhala text, official PDF on documents.gov.lk
Official translationFrom Department of Government Printing, unchanged
Without prejudice to the provisions of this Act, every person who –
not being an authorised officer of a licensee, connects or disconnects any electricity line through which electricity is or may be supplied by the licensee to or from meter, indicator or other apparatus;
without the consent of a licensee lays, or causes to be laid, any electricity line or connects any electricity line, equipment, apparatus, or works, for the purpose of establishing a connection with any electricity line, apparatus or works belonging to a licensee; or
intentionally or negligently -
alters the quantity of electricity supplied to any premises by a distribution licensee as registered on any meter used for measuring the same; or
prevents any meter from duly registering the quantity of electricity supplied through that meter, commits an offence under this Act and shall on conviction after a summary trial before a Magistrate be liable to a fine not less than one hundred thousand rupees and not exceeding five hundred thousand rupees and to an additional fine in a sum of money being the value of the loss or damage caused to the licensee as a result of the act or default constituting such offence, and such recovered additional fine shall be paid to the licensee on application made to court by such licensee.
Where any person is prosecuted for an offence under paragraph (c) of subsection (1), a certificate issued by the distribution licensee to the effect that -
the meter was in the custody or under the control of the person being prosecuted; and
there is clear proof that the meter has been tampered causing an alteration of the register of the quantity of electricity registered on such meter and therefore, preventing the meter from duly registering such usage, shall be admissible in evidence and shall be prima facie proof of the matters contained therein.
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 offender 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 the offence specified in subsection (1)
being continued after conviction, there shall be imposed a further fine not exceeding five thousand rupees for each day on which such offence is being continued after conviction.
Where any person is convicted of an offence under paragraph (c) of subsection (1), the distribution licensee may discontinue the supply of electricity to the premises of the person convicted and remove the meter in respect of which the offence was committed and thereafter keep the same in safe custody, until the Regulator authorises the licensee to dispose it. However, in the event that the unpaid dues are recovered by the distribution licensee, the distribution licensee shall, within a reasonable period of time, restore the supply of electricity that was discontinued.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Code of Criminal Procedure Act, No.15 of 1979, an offence under this Act shall be a cognizable offence within the meaning and for the purposes of that Act.
Part XIV