Bollywood actress-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut found herself at the center of a heated political and public discourse this week after she publicly alleged that she had received an electricity bill amounting to ₹1 lakh for her residence in Manali — a property she claims is currently unoccupied. The statement was made during a recent political rally in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, where Kangana is contesting the Lok Sabha elections as a BJP candidate.
While addressing the crowd, Kangana used the bill as an example of the alleged misgovernance by the ruling Congress government in the state. “In Himachal Pradesh, the Congress has created such a miserable situation. This month, I received an electricity bill of ₹1 lakh for my house in Manali, where I don’t even stay! Just imagine the conditions here,” she said, striking a chord with voters over rising costs and mismanagement claims.
However, the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB) swiftly responded to what they called a “misleading and politically motivated statement,” releasing a point-by-point breakdown of the charges incurred. According to HPSEB Managing Director Sandeep Kumar, the actual billed amount was ₹90,384 — not ₹1 lakh as claimed — and the sum covered electricity consumption for the months of January, February, and part of March.
Kumar explained that the high amount was a cumulative result of delayed payments, outstanding dues, and a substantial energy load connected to Ranaut’s luxurious Manali property. The total consumption over the billing period amounted to nearly 14,000 units, a figure far above typical residential usage. “This is not a one-time bill but a compilation of charges accumulated over multiple months. Ms. Ranaut also paid these bills late — on March 28, 2025 — which included penalties for delay,” he clarified.
The board further revealed that Kangana’s residence has a connected load of nearly 95 kilowatts, nearly 10 times the consumption of a standard household. Despite this, she still benefits from the state’s power subsidy scheme, which continues to provide significant relief even for high-end users.
The controversy has sparked larger discussions across Himachal on electricity pricing, transparency in billing, and the politicization of administrative services. While Kangana’s remarks were aimed at highlighting voter frustrations under the current government, the Electricity Board’s clarification has raised questions about factual accuracy and the responsible use of public platforms by political figures.
Kangana has yet to issue a formal response to the HPSEB’s clarification, but her remarks have already gone viral on social media, dividing public opinion between those who see her as raising genuine issues and others who accuse her of making sensationalist claims during campaign season.
With elections drawing closer and public scrutiny intensifying, this episode has added yet another dramatic chapter to Kangana’s already high-profile political debut.
