What is meter testing and faulty meter?
If you think your meter is wrong, the discom must test it, give you the report and correct your bills. Also called meter test, check meter, defective meter, burnt meter, stopped meter.
- Plain English
- Official sources
- Bill terms A–Z
Meter testing and faulty meter on your bill
You can complain if the meter runs fast, stops, or has a broken seal.
The discom must not charge a test fee at the time you report a defect that you did not cause.
You get a copy of the test report, signed by both sides. If the meter was wrong, the discom adjusts the excess or short amount in later bills.
If you dispute the result, a third-party lab tests the meter.
The 2024 amendment sets a 30-day test limit and a check meter within 5 days. Note your readings daily while you wait.
Official sources
- Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020, G.S.R. 818(E), 31-12-2020 (Gazette copy hosted by MERC), rule 5(8)
“No test fee shall be charged from the consumer at the time of reporting” - Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020, G.S.R. 818(E), 31-12-2020 (Gazette copy hosted by MERC), rule 5(9)
“The distribution licensee shall give a copy of the meter test report to the consumer duly signed by both” - Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020, G.S.R. 818(E), 31-12-2020 (Gazette copy hosted by MERC), rule 5(10)
“the excess or deficit charges shall be adjusted in the subsequent bills as specified by the Commission.” - Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020, G.S.R. 818(E), 31-12-2020 (Gazette copy hosted by MERC), rule 5(11)
“If a consumer disputes the results of testing, the meter shall be tested at a third party testing facility”
Read on 17 October 2026. Your State regulator’s rules and your discom’s bill have the final word.