Diffused Regulation of India's Electricity Distribution : A Case Study of a Distribution Region in Uttar Pradesh

Even after two decades of structural reforms, the pre-existing power dynamics constrain the electricity regulator from enforcing discom;s compliance, as they flout performance standards on electrification, supply quality and revenue recovery. This paper investigates this and the influence that various actors have on the governance of the electricity distribution sector in Uttar Pradesh, India, using the case of Malihabad electricity distribution region. We find that capacity constraints with the discom’s ground staff hamper their ability to effectively monitor the situation, resulting in the local actors (discom agents, contractual agents, political representatives, etc.) influencing the governance outcomes