The Jharkhand High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of the prolonged power cuts affecting Ranchi during religious processions, expressing concern over the severe inconvenience caused to residents.
In some instances, the outages have lasted up to 10 hours, prompting the court to question the justification behind such extended disruptions.
A division bench led by Chief Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao and Justice Deepak Roshan has sought an explanation from the state government and the electricity department regarding the rationale for these power cuts. The court has specifically demanded clarity on the legal provisions under which electricity supply is being halted for such long durations during festival processions.
Additionally, it has inquired about any alternative measures being taken to reduce the hardship faced by the public due to these outages. Both the state government and the electricity department have been instructed to submit their responses by April 9.
In Ranchi, it has been a long-standing practice to suspend power supply during major festivals like Sarhul and Ram Navami as a precautionary security measure.
Authorities argue that these outages, typically implemented between 1 pm and 11 pm, are necessary to prevent any untoward incidents during large gatherings. Power is usually restored only after the processions conclude and the situation normalizes.
On April 1, during the Sarhul festival, residents of Ranchi endured a power cut exceeding 10 hours. A similar outage has been scheduled for April 6, coinciding with the Ram Navami celebrations.
The High Court’s intervention in the matter is expected to ensure greater transparency and accountability, compelling authorities to justify their actions and explore alternative solutions to minimize public inconvenience.
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