The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has sought the Tamil Nadu government’s response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a special audit of ₹2,431.51 crore collected under the Tatkal agricultural electricity connection scheme from 2021–22 onwards.
The petition seeks a direction to the Principal Accountant General (Audit-I), Tamil Nadu, to examine the collection and utilisation of the funds and verify whether the scheme has been implemented in accordance with applicable government orders and legal provisions.
The petitioner has questioned the requirement under the Tatkal mechanism for applicants to pay a prescribed amount to obtain priority for agricultural electricity connections. According to the plea, such a payment-based priority system could adversely affect small and marginal farmers, while applicants with greater financial capacity may secure connections earlier.
The petition has also raised concerns regarding the implementation of the scheme in view of the substantial amount collected and the number of pending applications. It seeks an independent audit to ascertain whether the funds have been properly collected and utilised and whether the scheme's stated objectives are being followed.
The Madurai Bench has posted the matter for further hearing on September 16, 2026, when the State’s response is expected to be considered. CASansaar