Notice to telegraph authority
Section 69 of the Electricity Act, 2003 deals with notice to telegraph authority. A licensee shall, before laying down or placing, within ten meters of any telegraph line, electric line, electrical plant or other works, not being either service lines, or electric lines or electrical plant, for the repair, renewal or amendment of existing works of which the character or position i The Act came into force on 10 Jun 2003.
(1) A licensee shall, before laying down or placing, within ten meters of any telegraph line, electric line, electrical plant or other works, not being either service lines, or electric lines or electrical plant, for the repair, renewal or amendment of existing works of which the character or position is not to be altered,--
(a) submit a proposal in case of a new installation to an authority to be designated by the Central Government and such authority shall take a decision on the proposal within thirty days;
(b) give not less than ten days' notice in writing to the telegraph authority in case of repair, renewal or amendment of existing works, specifying--
(i) the course of the works or alterations proposed;
(ii) the manner in which the works are to be utilised;
(iii) the amount and nature of the electricity to be transmitted;
(iv) the extent to, and the manner in which (if at all), earth returns are to be used,
and the licensee shall conform to such reasonable requirements, either general or special, as may be laid down by the telegraph authority within that period for preventing any telegraph line from being injuriously affected by such works or alterations:
Provided that in case of emergency (which shall be stated by the licensee in writing to the telegraph authority) arising from defects in any of the electric lines or electrical plant or other works of the licensee, the licensee shall be required to give only such notice as may be possible after the necessity for the proposed new works or alterations has arisen.
(2) Where the works of the laying or placing of any service line is to be executed, the licensee shall, not less than forty-eight hours before commencing the work, serve upon the telegraph authority a notice in writing of his intention to execute such works.
Section 69, The Electricity Act, 2003 (Act 36 of 2003).
Cross-references
Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.
Referred to by 1
Related judgements & precedents
These are some judgments that construed this section, and hold precedence value. They hold authority on how to read, interpret and use this section.
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Power Grid Corpn. of India vs Century Textiles&inds. LTD & ORS
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
A Central Transmission Utility, upon being conferred the powers of Telegraph Authority under Section 164 of the Electricity Act, 2003, has the legal authority to lay high-voltage electricity transmission lines across privately leased land without the consent of the lessee, as the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 prioritizes unobstructed access for telegraph and electricity transmission lines in the larger public interest. The requirement of prior consent under Rule 3 of the Works of Licensees Rules, 2006 does not apply to such utilities. Compensation for any damage caused by the exercise of these powers is determined by the District Judge under Section 16 of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, not by administrative authorities. The action of the utility is not arbitrary merely because the cost of realignment is lower than the financial loss to the private party, as the court must consider the stage of project completion, technical feasibility, and the national importance of the infrastructure project.
On this section: Cited as part of Part VIII dealing with works and overhead lines
The holding above is the ratio decidendi as extracted from the judgment by eCourts India, reproduced unaltered — it is a rendering of the court's reasoning, not a substitute for its words. Read the order itself before relying on it.
Questions about Section 69
What have the courts held on Section 69 of the Electricity Act?
Power Grid Corpn. of India vs Century Textiles&inds. LTD & ORS (14 Dec 2016) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: Cited as part of Part VIII dealing with works and overhead lines.
How do I find court cases under Section 69 of the Electricity Act?
In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: Electricity Act 2003 69, section 69 Electricity Act 2003, section 69 of the Electricity Act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 1 reported judgment on this section is set out on this page, beginning with Power Grid Corpn. of India vs Century Textiles&inds. LTD & ORS (14 Dec 2016).
What should I read with Section 69 of the Electricity Act, and has it changed?
1 other provision in this corpus refers back to it.
When did Section 69 of the Electricity Act come into force?
Section 69 of the Electricity Act, cited as Electricity Act 2003 69, came into force on 10 Jun 2003, having been enacted on 26 May 2003. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.
Other sections of this Act
Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 19 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.