Jammu and Kashmir Power Tariff Hike Sparks Protests Against Omar Abdullah Government
· India · Indian Express, Zee News, Times of India
The Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission has approved an average power tariff increase of 6.83 percent in Jammu and Kashmir, effective from September 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027. Opposition parties including the PDP and the J&K Apni Party held protest demonstrations in Srinagar on Monday to condemn the hike and remind the National Conference of its election promises. Government sources stated that the Power Development Department had initially proposed a 5 percent increase, but the Commission's independent assessment arrived at the higher figure. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah defended the revision by citing inflation over the past four years and noting that power supply remains heavily subsidised. He also pointed out that previous administrations had implemented larger tariff hikes of 14 percent and 15 percent during their tenures.
Why it matters
The tariff hike directly increases electricity costs for households across Jammu and Kashmir, triggering political friction for Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's administration over unfulfilled campaign promises.
Read the original report — Indian Express
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