Distribution companies have printed QR codes on May electricity bills, directing consumers to submit their household data.

The warning is stark: failure to comply will result in the cancellation of the under-200-unit subsidy, regardless of actual consumption.

For LESCO consumers currently using under 200 units, the average per-unit rate stands between Rs17 and Rs20. Should the subsidy be withdrawn, that rate will surge to Rs38–40 per unit, a near-doubling of cost at a time when summer demand is already pushing consumption higher.

Sources at the Ministry of Energy confirmed that the subsidised tariff will be restored from June 1 only for those who complete the QR code verification.

All meters in a non-compliant household, even those consuming minimal units, will be billed at the full commercial rate.

Under distribution company regulations, a single-phase meter per household is the standard.

Multiple meters are permissible only where separate families occupy distinct portions of a property with independent kitchens and separate wiring.

Installing two or more meters on a shared kitchen and common wiring, even with a changeover switch, is classified as illegal and will not qualify for subsidy.

Importantly, even consumers who submit their data are not fully in the clear.

Distribution companies retain the authority to conduct physical inspections to verify the information provided.

The risk also extends to compliant single-meter consumers. Any eligible household that misses the QR code submission deadline may inadvertently lose its subsidy and face the bureaucratic ordeal of approaching distribution companies to have it reinstated.

Whether the decision is driven by IMF conditionalities, fiscal pressures, or a genuine effort to plug subsidy leakages, the government has yet to offer a public explanation.

What is certain is that millions of low-income consumers now face a tight deadline, and a potentially punishing electricity bill if they miss it.