Indian Electricity Rules, 1956

 Amended upto November 2000

 Made by Central Electricity Board under section 37 of Indian Electricity Act, 1910. These
rules have been retained in Indian Electricity Act 2003
 Total 143 rules.
Chapter Rules Description
Chap1 Rule 01-03 Preliminary
Chap2 Rule 04 Inspectors
Chap3 Rule 11-28 License
Chap4 Rule29-46 General Safety Requirements
Chap5 Rule 47-59 General Conditions Relating to the Supply
and Use of Energy
Chap6 Rule 60-62 On Electric Supply Lines, Systems and
Apparatus for LV and MV
Chap7 Rule 63-73 On Electric Supply Lines, Systems and
Apparatus for HV and EHV
Chap8 Rule 74-93 On OH lines, Underground Cables and
Generating Stations
Chap9 Rule 94-108 Electric Traction
Chap10 Rule 109-132 Additional Precautions to be adopted in
Mines and Oil Fields
Chap11 Rule 133-143 On Miscellaneous Matter

Rules on Earthing 61,67,90

Rules on Clearance 77,79,80
77-Clearance from lowest conductor and street
79-Clerance from LV/MV conductor and Building
80-Clerance from HV/EHV conductor and Building
Special Rules 46-47, 50, 54-55, 56-57, 92
46,47- Inspection and Testing of Consumer’s Installation
50- Supply to consumers(Linked Switch & C.B)
54,55- Allowable V and f regulation of supply
56,57-Seal and Meter/Max Demand Indicator
92- Electric Load Points
Rules 29-38
 IE Rules on Earthing
 Rule 61 :- (A) Maximum Permissible resistance for Earthing System
System Value of Earthing Resistance
Large Power Station 0.5 Ω
Major Sub-station 1.0 Ω
Earth Continuity inside an installation 1.0 Ω
Small Sub-station 2.0 Ω
In all other cases 8.0 Ω

(B) Connection with Earth and Testing at LV and MV level:

 Neutral wire of 3 phase 4 wire system and 1phase 2 wire system
must be grounded by not less than two separate and distinct
connections with both at source and consuming end.
 All metal casing/ covering of electric supply lines and apparatus
must be grounded.
 Testing of earth resistance not less than once in every two years
during a dry season shall be conducted and recorded.
 Rule 67: - Connection with Earth and Testing at HV and EHV level.
–same as 61(B)
 Rule 90: - Earthing of OH lines, underground cables :
 All metal supports and RCC poles of OH lines must be earthed.
 Each stay wire must be earthed unless insulators have been provided in it
at a height not less than 3 m from the ground.
 IE Rules on Clearance
 Rule 77. Clearance above ground of the lowest conductor- Minimum clearance
from ground of any conductor of an over head line, including service lines is-

Situation Voltage Clearance

Conductor Crossing the LV and MV 19ft
road HV 20ft
Conductor Along the LV and MV 18ft
street HV 19ft
Others upto 11kV (bare) 15ft
upto 11kV(insulated) 13ft
Greater than 11kV 17ft
EHV 17ft+1ft for every 33kV or part
thereof

 Rule 79. Clearance from buildings of LV and MV lines and service lines-
When a LV or MV overhead line passes above or adjacent to or terminates on any
building, the following min. clearance (on the basis of max. sag) from the building is to
be maintained-

Situation Line passing Above the building or Clearance

Adjacent to the building
1. Flat Roof Above Verttical-8ft
Adjacent Horizontal-4ft
2. Pitched Roof Above 8ft
Adjacent 4ft

 Rule 80. Clearance from buildings of HV and EHV lines and service lines-
When a HV or EHV overhead line passes above or adjacent to or terminates on any
building, the following min. clearance (on the basis of max. sag) from the building is to
be maintained-
Situation Voltage Clearance
1. Vertical upto 33kV 12ft
Clearance more than 33kV 12ft + 1ft for every 33kV or part thereof
2. Horizontal upto 11kV 4ft
Clearance b/w 11kV & 33kV 6ft
more than 33kV 6ft + 1ft for every 33kV or part thereof
 Special Rules
 Rule 92. Electric Load- The load on a particular circuit shall not exceed-
800 W or 10 points in case of lighting
2000 W or 2 points in case of 15 amps sockets

 Rule 56. Sealing of meters and cut out- The supplier shall put seal on the cut-out
and the meters, max demand indicator which the consumer is not permitted to break at
any circumstances. If seal is found broken, the consumer will be highly penalized.
 Rule 57. Accuracy of Meter and Max Demand Indicator – deemed to be correct if
its maximum error does not exceed 3% at 110% of full load.

 Rule 54 Declared voltage of supply to consumer- The voltage at the point of

commencement of supply shall not vary more than 5% in case of LV/ MV and by more
than 12% in case of HV/EHV.
 Rule 55. Declared supply frequency to consumer- A supplier shall not permit the
frequency of an alternating current supply to vary from the declared frequency by more
than 3 per cent.

 Rule 50. Supply to consumers- The supplier shall not commence or continue to give
supply of energy to any consumer unless a Linked switch or a C.B of requisite capacity
to carry and break the current is placed
I. at the point of commencement of supply mains to the consumer
II. LV and HV side of HV or EHV Transformer
III. Supply to the motors and other HV installations

 Rule 46. Periodical inspection and testing of consumer’s installation-

I. The supplier shall inspect and test the installation before giving a new
connection after a period of six months.
II. The supplier shall inspect and test the installation of the existing
consumer at least once in every five years. The fees for such inspection and test shall be
determined by the Central or the State Government and shall be payable by the
consumer in advance. In the event of the failure of the fees, supply to the installation of
such consumer shall be liable to be disconnected.
Rules 29-38

Bhola Singh was Cutting ECT with BNHV Cable