Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday denied the allegation of inflated electricity bills. The complaint that people of the state had got "inflated" electricity bills was incorrect, said CM Thackeray. Thackeray said to reporters that consumers got "three months average bill as per unit use" instead of a monthly one, since meter reading was not possible during the lockdown, and "so it looked inflated".

"We have asked for meter checks," Thackeray added. He also added there was no miscommunication on the power bill issue among his allies and ministers, and any talk on this front was incorrect. The clarification by the CM came out after the query on statements made by state energy minister Nitin Raut and senior Congress leader and PWD minister Ashok Chavan sounding discordant. Chavan reportedly said Raut should have discussed the issue of power bill waiver before making an announcement on electricity bill. 

On Friday, Maharashtra Electricity Minister Raut said he has spoken on bills waiver during the meeting scheduled over this issue with the chief minister and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who is also finance minister. Ashok Chavan who was undergoing treatment for Covid 19 might not be aware of these happenings. Minister Raut to the Press in Nagpur also said the media was briefed about the bill waiver on the instructions of the deputy chief minister. State Congress chief and minister Balasaheb Thorat also claimed Chavan and said the (bill waiver) issue was discussed and the latter may not have been aware of it. The Opposition, led by the BJP, has been protesting against the MVA government and burning bill copies demanding that it keep its "promise" of bill waiver. 

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