In a bid to prevent misuse of government resources and curb rising electricity consumption, the Odisha Police Headquarters has prohibited police personnel from using electricity supplied to police office buildings to charge their personal electric vehicles (EVs). Officials have warned that unauthorised power connections will be disconnected immediately, and those violating the directive will face disciplinary action.
The statewide order was issued on August 1 by Additional Director General of Police (Law & Order) Sanjay Kumar, directing all police units to strictly enforce the new guidelines across Odisha.
Personal EV Charging Using Office Power Prohibited
According to the circular, police authorities have noticed repeated instances of personnel drawing electricity from police office buildings to charge privately owned electric vehicles.
The directive states that such unauthorised use of government electricity is illegal and violates existing administrative rules and regulations. It emphasises that members of the police force are expected to uphold the law and maintain the highest standards of discipline while using government resources.
Officials clarified that only government-owned or official police vehicles are permitted to use electricity from police office premises for charging purposes. Personal electric vehicles are not covered under this provision.
Rising Power Consumption Prompted Action
The Police Headquarters said unauthorised charging of private EVs has led to a noticeable increase in electricity consumption, resulting in an unnecessary financial burden on the government.
Officials noted that the growing use of office power for personal purposes has significantly increased electricity bills and placed additional strain on the electrical infrastructure at several police establishments.
The move is intended to ensure that government electricity is used strictly for official purposes.
Complaints Received from Police Barracks
According to a senior police officer, most complaints regarding unauthorised charging originated from police barracks in various districts.
The officer said charging multiple personal electric vehicles from office power supply often increased the electrical load beyond permissible limits, leading to frequent power outages.
These outages reportedly disrupted office functioning and caused inconvenience to police personnel residing in barracks and government quarters, with electricity supply remaining affected for several hours in some cases.
Electric Heaters for Cooking Also Prohibited
Apart from unauthorised EV charging, the directive also raised concerns over the use of electric heaters for cooking inside police barracks.
The Police Headquarters observed that the practice not only contributes to higher electricity consumption but also poses a significant fire safety risk.
Officials have been instructed to ensure that such practices are discontinued immediately in the interest of safety and efficient energy management.
Statewide Inspections Ordered
To ensure strict implementation of the order, all heads of police districts, ranges, battalions and other police establishments have been directed to conduct inspections across their respective jurisdictions.
They have been instructed to:
- Identify and disconnect all unauthorised electricity connections.
- Prevent the use of office power for charging privately owned electric vehicles.
- Ensure compliance with the directive across police offices, barracks and residential quarters.
- Initiate disciplinary proceedings against personnel found violating the order.
The Odisha Police Headquarters has made it clear that strict action will be taken against anyone found misusing government electricity, reaffirming its commitment to transparency, accountability and the responsible use of public resources.
