BENGALURU: The state government on Monday announced that people can apply for permanent electricity connections without occupancy certificates (OC), which were earlier mandatory.
The order issued on June 22 gives people 15 days’ time to apply for permanent electricity connections. Residential buildings constructed on or before May 31, 2026, with ground plus three floors (G+3) or stilt parking plus four floors (S+4) measuring 2400 sqft (plus 20% deviation) need not submit occupancy certificates for permanent power connections.
Buildings in the limits of Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), in the jurisdictions of municipal corporations and urban local bodies in panchayat limits will be given a special one-time exemption from submitting occupancy certificates for permanent electricity connections.
Farmers owning houses, silk rearing units, cattle sheds, stores housing farm equipment and farmhouses will get exemption, according to the order.
The Supreme Court had issued orders stating that permanent electricity connections cannot be given to people till they submitted occupancy certificates. Following the orders, the state government, on April 4, 2025, stopped clearing applications seeking permanent electricity connections.
Revenue and GBA officials said around three lakh applications are awaiting clearance. Of them, one lakh are in BESCOM limits.
Officials from the Urban Development Department, GBA’s Town Planning Wing and BESCOM said, “We have not stopped providing electricity connections and occupancy certificates. The court had objected to many applicants evading the legitimate route due to building plan deviations and high taxations. To address this, the state government issued the order for one-time clearance on June 22.”
CATEGORIES & PROCESSES
Already applied for permanent connection: ESCOMs will verify applications submitted before May 31, 2026. Field officers will capture and upload geo-tagged photos (with date, time and location) of the completed building in the presence of the owner
Yet to apply for permanent connection: Owners who built houses using temporary power connections on or before May 31, 2026, can apply for a permanent connection within 15 days. Geo-tagged photographs of the site are mandatory
No connection: For buildings completed on or before May 31, 2026, without any prior power connection, owners can apply at respective sub-division offices within 15 days. Field officers will inspect the spot, verify building and upload the report along with geo-tagged photos on the CCB software.