LHC rejects plea against monetisation of free electricity

LAHORE  WEB  NEWS  )

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has dismissed a petition challenging the monetisation of free electricity units for power sector officers, upholding the federal government’s policy.

In its detailed verdict, the court ruled that abolishing free electricity units for officers from Grade 17 to 22 was lawful and did not violate the Constitution.

The petition had been filed by the GEPCO Officers Association against the government’s decision to monetise the facility provided to employees of WAPDA and its affiliated entities, including distribution companies (DISCOs), generation companies (GENCOs), the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC), and the Power Information Technology Company (PITC).

Justice Malik Javid Iqbal Wains announced the verdict, stating that the provision of free electricity units was a benefit, not a vested legal right.

The court observed that the government has the authority to formulate policies for institutions under its control and that such measures fall within its administrative domain.

The judgment further noted that the monetisation policy, approved by the federal cabinet committee, was neither illegal nor unconstitutional. It added that the policy did not cause any financial loss to officers, nor did it affect their employment, tenure, or salaries.

The court also ruled that employees’ constitutional rights had not been infringed and that judicial interference in policy matters was not justified. It emphasized that steps taken to reduce financial losses in the power sector and ensure economic stability were within the legal framework.