If you’re tuned into India’s EV story, you’re likely aware of the lack of public charging stations in India. With 235 EVs per charger compared to a global average of 6-20, it is a leading factor in curbing EV adoption in India. However, despite the importance of accessible public charging infrastructure, another instrumental cause behind the lack of reliable home charging options – has not been getting the attention it deserves.
Over the past few years, multiple cases of users being denied permission to charge EVs at home have emerged. Despite being allowed to install a private charger, RWAs illegally reject their claims for dubious reasons.
To fix this problem, India needs to look abroad – implementing a “Right to Charge” has reaped rewards for countries all around the world. In Europe especially, guaranteed charging access, with and without private parking has decreased range anxiety and accelerated the mobility sector’s electrification.
In this blog, we take a closer look at Europe’s Right to Charge paradigm, what it entails and why India could benefit from it. But first, we start by understanding why Indian EV owners are getting the rough end of the bargain.
How India’s Legal Framework Supports Home EV Charging
Many EV owners have gone back to ICE vehicles because the RWA won’t allow them to install a charger at home. But that’s not because of a lack of legal guarantees – in fact, even before the EV charging guidelines were announced, India’s existing legal framework outrightly supported the installation of EV chargers at home.
The Electricity Act, 2003
The most important legislation on all-things-electricity in India includes the following: “Every distribution licensee shall, upon application by the owner or occupier of any premises, provide an electricity supply within one month“. More importantly, there is no need to take the Resident Welfare Association (RWA)’s consent for the same.
Similarly, under the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020, it has been clearly stated that in metropolitan areas, connections must be provided within seven days of application. Here, too, no society approval is needed. Lastly, under the Union Ministry of Power’s 2022 and 2024 consolidated guidelines for EV charging, residents can install EV chargers using their existing electricity connections without requiring separate permissions.
Thus, these statutes make it clear that residents cannot be denied permission because no such permission is needed! On many occasions when disputes about EV charging have reached judicial forums, their judgements have helped expand the scope for a Right to Charge in India.
How the Judiciary is Helping Owners Secure a Right to Charge
In the recent past, two cases have played an important role in strengthening the rights of EV owners.
- Amit Dholakia vs. State of Maharashtra (2025)
This case was argued in the Bombay High Court. It was filed by a Bombay resident, Mr. Amit Dholakia, who was arbitrarily denied the NOC for a home charger. In turn, he argued that residents are not getting what’s rightfully theirs, leading the court to put a stop to arbitrary denials of permissions to EV owning residents in the state. Alongside, it sought the finalization of rules for EV charging infrastructure in housing societies, seeking to create a transparent and effective charging landscape among a crucial EV-owning segment of society.
- Rachit Katyal vs. Union of India (Pending, 2026):
This is an ongoing case in the Supreme Court of India. Rachit Katyal, the resident of a housing society in Greater Noida, filed a petition after being denied permission to install a charger. Why this case is already significant is because its very admission signals that the Supreme Court views the obstruction of residential EV charging infrastructure not as a mere private housing dispute, but as a significant constitutional question. Any judgement here would order a change to the way the entire country deals with private EV charging, perhaps spelling an end to owners’ woes.
Lastly, numerous state-level policies have quietly broadened the horizons for home EV charging. Some of those have been listed below:
State-level Policies that Promote Home Charging
Across the Indian subcontinent, a number of states have implemented policies that make it easier to charge at home. In Maharashtra and Delhi, their respective EV policies include provisions to reserve a fixed percentage of new and/ or existing parking spaces. In addition, many states have imposed concessional electricity tariffs to further draw down the costs of charging.
Together, these legislations and policies aim to improve access to home charging in India. But a key hurdle stands in their way – the opposition from RWAs for home charging in cooperative housing societies.
Why RWAs Oppose EV Charger Installation in Housing Societies
In the age of social media, the mantra is simple: jo dikhta hai voh bikta hai. Unfortunately, EVs have become a victim of this approach too: with videos of EVs catching fire spreading like wildfire (no pun intended), those running RWAs are scared to invite a safety hazard into societies. But are they really as dangerous as they seem?
Are EVs More Likely to Catch Fire?
As per the International Energy Agency, electric mobility provides the highest decarbonisation potential out of all alternative forms of road transport. However, with several reports of EVs catching fire coming out regularly, there are question marks about their safety. Are these doubts backed by data? Let’s find out ➡️
- EVs are less likely to catch fire than ICE vehicles – mainly because a traction battery poses lesser fire risk than the latter.
- When an insurance company in the US researched the frequency of fire incidents across the country, they found the following:
| Car Type | Frequency of fire incidents |
| Hybrid vehicles | 3,474 fires per 100K sales |
| Petrol vehicles | 1,529 fires per 100K sales |
| Electric vehicles | 25 fires per 100K sales |
The table shows that EVs have recorded the least number of fires per 1 lakh sales.
Although these findings are preliminary and research is still ongoing, they help understand that EVs are safer than the media tells you. But it’s not the only thing standing between EV owners and unbridled charging access – and that’s where Kazam’s research comes in.
Kazam x AEEE: What Research Tells Us
When Kazam sought to understand the reason behind EV-related fire incidents in apartment complexes, they found that electrical malpractices are mainly to blame. Because of barriers in electrical infrastructure, housing conditions and affordability, users cut costs through informal and unsafe practices like:
- Plugging into general-purpose sockets
- Temporary extensions
- Shared connections not designed for sustained EV loads
As a result, EV-related fire incidents occur every now and then.
In partnership with the Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE), Kazam has investigated the reality behind India’s home charging woes. Some of its notable findings are:
- Only 55% of prospective EV buyers currently have access to home charging. A further 30% can enable it through electrical upgrades. ‘
- 45% of Indian homes need electrical upgrades to safely charge their EV at home
Through the detailed investigation of 80,000 homes, the study aims to expand the scope of home charging by understanding the key barriers in place. Click here to read the report.
How Right to Charge Has Transformed Mobility in Europe
Over the past decade, Europe has gained significant ground in electrifying its mobility sector. From a mere 1% market share in 2015, electric car sales have reached a solid 27% in 2025, becoming a key segment of their automobile market. Compare this to India and you realise how far apart we are: as of FY25, the share of electric four-wheelers is merely 2.7% of all car sales in India.
But how did Europe make this jump?
Enabling Access to Home and Public Charging for Every EV Owner
At the centre of this mobility transformation lies a commitment: to provide charging access to each and every EV owner out there. Be it the Netherlands ensuring adequate public charging for residents without private parking, Denmark outlawing landlords arbitrarily withholding consent for charger installation or the UK ensuring payment interoperability for public chargers, every policy aims to improve charging access for citizens.
If India wants to electrify mobility in the same manner, it must take lessons. What are the changes can India can enact to make home charging a right rather than a privilege?
Enabling Right to Charge in India
To make sure that EV users are able to access reliable charging options at home and outside, the following changes must be implemented by authorities:
Strict Implementation of Existing EV Charging Guidelines
The Ministry of Power’s 2024 Guidelines give residents of apartment complexes the right to:
- Install their own charger
- To install a dedicated sub-meter
- For the RWA to assist them in this process
Simply by enforcing these guidelines, most of EV owners’ worries can disappear overnight.
Enforce Legally Binding Timelines for RWAs
The process of obtaining a permission for your EV charger can extend over weeks or even months. A mandatory window (14 days/ 1 month) to respond to a resident’s request can be imposed. It will ensure timely resolution of EV owner’s rightful demands.
Carry out Awareness Campaigns in Apartment Complexes
The opposition toward installing private chargers is mainly an issue in urban housing societies. Mending it requires dedicated awareness campaigns that address myths surrounding EV charging, speak about its financial benefits and disseminate information regarding safety measures to be taken by them.
Is your Home EV-Ready?
Many a times, users don’t know if they can safely charge their EV at home. Do they have the necessary sanctioned load? Can the wiring carry large power loads? Do they need a separate sub-meter? And so on and so forth…
To help EV owners check if their home is EV-ready or not, Kazam has created a lightning-quick 60-second test that delivers a quick preliminary assessment on their domestic electrical setup. At the click of a button, you can take this test, and mark an important milestone in EV-proofing your home.
Click here to safely begin your EV journey.
Provide Financial Support for Residential Charging Retrofits
Kazam’s report on home charging in India found that most Indian homes lack the electrical requirements needed for home charging. To bridge this gap, the government can undertake a financial support program especially for low-income households – it can help as many as 30% of EV-owning households become eligible for home-charging.
These changes will eliminate a sticky hurdle for EV users. Only then can electric mobility become as widespread as needed.
The Bottom-line
The task of accelerating India’s EV revolution starts at home. While substantial purchase and manufacturing subsidies are offered across states, the barriers to home charging inside apartment complexes, a hub of EV users in urban centres, remain prevalent and pervasive. If users enjoy the “Right to Charge”, they will enjoy far more convenience and save bigger too.
The only barrier between India and a transformed and decarbonized mobility space is the lack of affordable, accessible and reliable charging options. That’s why “Right to Charge” is an urgent need. It will change India’s mobility landscape and put India on the same path that Europe finds itself on.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can my RWA legally stop me from installing an EV charger in my designated parking space?
No. Under Section 43 of the Electricity Act 2003 and Ministry of Power guidelines, residents have the right to access electricity without needing prior approval or a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from an RWA, provided standard safety norms are followed.
Do I need a separate electricity connection or meter for my EV charger?
Not mandatory. Guidelines allow you to charge using your existing residential connection. However, installing a dedicated sub-meter or applying for load enhancement ensures safety and trackability.
Are EVs in basement parking a greater fire hazard than petrol or diesel vehicles?
While research is still ongoing, preliminary findings suggest otherwise. A US Insurance firm found EVs to have the lowest fire incidents per 100,000 sales compared to petrol and hybrid vehicles.
What does right to charge mean?
It indicates the right to access charging facilities, at home and outside, once you buy an EV. In India, EV owners struggle to charge their vehicles courtesy a lack of accessible home and public charging options. By implementing the “Right to Charge”, governments will be forced to install accessible public charging options and remove barriers to private charger installation.
How can India implement the right to charge?
By ensuring existing guidelines are implemented strictly; by imposing mandatory windows for RWAs’ approval/ rejection; by carrying out awareness campaigns for apartment complexes; and by providing financial Support for residential charging retrofits in low-income households
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