INDIAN ELECTRICITY RULES 1956

The Indian Electricity Act, 1910 deals with the provisions

relating to supply and use of electrical energy and the rights and
obligations of persons licensed under part II of that act to supply
energy.
Section 35 - Advisory boards
Under section 36A of the Act, a board called Central Electricity
Board is constituted to exercise the powers conferred by Section
37.
 PART IV
Section 36A –Central Electricity Board shall be constituted to exercise
the powers conferred by section 37
The board shall consist of
1. A chairman and five other members to be nominated by Central
Government
2. One member to be nominated by government of each state
3. One member by railway board
4. One member by Chief Inspector of Mines
5. One member by ISI
 PART IV
Section 37 – Powers for Board to make rules
CEB may make the rules to regulate the generation,
transmission, supply and use of energy.

In exercise of the powers conferred under the sections the

Central Electricity Board frames the Indian Electricity
Rules
IE RULES
1. The rules regarding the safety in construction and use of
electrical installations / plants / equipments are framed by
Central Electricity Board.
2. The I.E. rules were first framed in 1922 and amended in
1937 and 1956.
Objective of I.E. Rules
1. To regulate the relation between the Electricity Supplier and
Consumer
2. To make the generation, transmission, distribution and the
use of electricity as safe as possible.
 INDIAN ELECTRICITY RULES 1956
Chapter I – (Rules 1 to 3 )-Preliminary

Chapter II – (Rules 4 to 10) -Inspectors

Chapter III – (Rules 11 to 28) -License

Chapter IV – (Rules 29 to 46 ) General Safety Precautions

Chapter V – (Rules 47 to 59) General conditions relating to supply and use of

energy

Chapter VI – (Rules 60 to 62) Electric supply lines, systems and apparatus for low
and medium voltages
 INDIAN ELECTRICITY RULES 1956
Chapter VII – (Rules 63 to 73) -Electric supply lines, systems and apparatus for
high and extra high voltages.

Chapter VIII – (Rules 74 to 93) -Overhead lines

Chapter IX– (Rules 94 to 108)-Electric Traction

Chapter X – (Rules 109 to 132) -Additional precautions to be adopted

in Mines and oil fields

Chapter XI – (Rules 133 to 143) -Miscellaneous

 Annexures XIV
Rule 1, 2 & 3 comes under the heading of preliminary.
Rule1–Short title and commencement.
Rule 2 – Definition – Act, ampere, authorized person, danger, earthing system, cable,
span, supplier, system, lighting arrester.
Ampere – means a unit of electric current
Bare – means not covered with insulating material
Cable – means a length of insulated single conductor (solid / standard) or of two
more such conductors each provided with its own insulation which are laid up
together, such insulated conductors may or may not be provided with an overall
mechanical protective covering.
Danger – means danger to health or danger to life or any part of body from shock,
burn or other injury to persons or property or from fire or explosion, attendant upon
the generation, transmission, transformations, conversion, distribution or use of
energy.
RULE 3 AUTHORISATION

Sub rule 2A – No person shall be authorized to operate or undertake

operation and maintenance of any part or whole of generating station of
capacity 100MWand above together with the associated substation
unless he is adequately qualified and has successfully undergone the
type of training specified in Annexure XVI.
1. Training may be arranged in his own institute.
2. This deals with details of training for skilled employees and fresh
engineers.
CREATION OF INSTITUTE
Every training institute shall be established adjacent to a power station so as
to facilitate familiarization and provide in plant training.
Chapter III – deals with qualifications of inspectors, powers to the
electrical inspectors.
Rule 5:- Entry and Inspection.
Any Inspector may enter, inspect and examine any place.
 Chapter IV – General safety requirements

Rule 29 Construction, installation, protection, operation and

maintenance of electric supply lines and apparatus.
 Rule 29 Construction, installation, protection, operation and
maintenance of electric supply lines and apparatus.
•All electric supply lines and apparatus shall be of sufficient ratings for
powers, insulation and estimated fault current and sufficient mechanical
strength for the duty which they may be required to perform under the
environmental conditions of installations and shall be constructed, installed,
protected, worked and maintained in such a manner as to ensure safety of
personnel and property.
•The relevant code of practice of the BIS may be followed to carry out the
purpose of this rule and in the event of any inconsistency the provisions of
these rules shall prevail .
Rule 29:-Where death is caused by electrocution on account of
defective insulation of an electric pump and the earthing system, the
principal of the Institution, its secretary and Chief Executive of the
governing body of the institution where the accident takes place are all
liable to prosecution .

Rule 30 (4) :- The customer shall also ensure that the insulation
under his control is maintained in a safe condition.
Accidents & Main Reasons

Unauthorized persons working on lines / equipment

Working without using safety appliances
Working without obtaining proper line clear
Working without proper instructions from superiors
Wrong instructions from person who received the line clear
Negligence, carelessness, haste and overconfidence
Lack of knowledge on feeding arrangements
 Precautions to avoid accidents
Obtaining proper line clear from all possible sources of supply shall be
taken and the following precautions are to be taken.
1. Till a L.C.is received from all sources every line or equipment shall
be treated as live.
2. Hang “Danger” boards at all strategic places to ensure safety at
work spot
3. Explain the area which is safe to work and ensure that every
employee in your team has understood the same.
4. Nominate one among the team exclusively to reap a close watch
and ensure that every person in the team is safe.
Precautions to avoid accidents
5. Earthing is to be provided on both sides of the work spot
before proceeding with the work.

6. All safety rules are to be followed till entire work is

completed.
7. Insulated earth rods with clamps shall be used and the
person using the earth rods shall keep safe distance from
earthing wires.

8. Examine earth rods and every safety appliance before using

9. No person shall be allowed work if he is under the
influence of alcoholic drinks under inebriated condition.
Rule 32 An indication of a permanent nature shall be provided
by the owner of the earth neutral conductor to enable such
conductor to be distinguished from any live conductor.

Rule 33 Earthed terminal on consumer’s premises.

The consumer shall take all reasonable precautions to prevent
mechanical damage to the earthed terminal and its lead
belonging to the supplier.
Rule 34 Accessibility of bare conductors where bare conductors
are used in a building
The owner of such conductors shall
1. Ensure that they are inaccessible
2. Provide in readily accessibility position switches for
rendering them dead whenever necessary.
Rule 35 Danger Notices
The owner of every medium, high and extra high voltage
installation shall affix permanently a Danger Notice in Hindi or
English and the local language of the district with a sign of skull
and bones (design as per ISS No.2551) on
1. Every motor, generator, transformer and other electrical
plant and equipment together with apparatus used for
controlling or regulating the same.
2. All supports of high and extra high voltage overhead
lines which can be easily climbed upon without the aid of
ladder or special apparatus.
Rule 36
1. Handling of electric supply lines and apparatus Before any
conductor or apparatus is handled adequate precaution shall be taken
by earthing or other suitable means to discharge.
Every person who is working on an electric supply line or apparatus
or both shall be provided with tools and devices such as gloves,
rubber shoes, safety belts, ladders, earthing devices, helmets for
protection him from mechanical or electrical injury.
 Rule 36

Such tools and devices shall always be maintained in sound

and efficient working condition.
2. No person shall work on any live electric supply line or
apparatus and no person shall assist such person on such
work, unless he is authorized in that behalf and takes the
safety measures approved by the Inspector.
Rule 37 supply to vehicles, cranes, etc.
Every person owning a vehicle, traveling crane or the like to
which is energy supplied from an external source shall ensure
that it is efficiently controlled by a suitable switch enabling all
voltage to be cut off in one operation and the owner shall ensure
rails if used are electrically continuous and earthed.
Rule 38 cables for portable or transportable apparatus
1. Flexible cables shall not be used for portable or transportable
motors, generators, transformers, electric drills, electric
sprays, welding sets, unless they are heavily insulated and
adequately protected.
2. The cable shall be three core type and four core type for
portable and transportable apparatus working on single phase
and three phase supply respectively and wire meant for
ground connection shall be easily identifiable.
Rule 42 Accidental charge
The owners of all circuits and apparatus shall so arrange them
that there shall be no danger of any part thereof becoming
accidentally charged to any voltage beyond the limits of voltage
for which they are intended
When AC and DC circuits are installed on the same support they
shall be so arranged and protected that they shall not come into
contact with each other when live.
Rule 43 Provisions applicable to protective equipment.
1. Fire buckets filled with clean dry sand ready for immediate
use for extinguishing fire in addition to fire extinguishers (in
all generating station, sub station and switching station).
2. The fire extinguishers shall be tested for satisfactory
operation at least once in a year and record of such tests shall
be maintained.
3. First aid boxes or cup boards marked and equipped with such
contents as the State Government may specify shall be
provided and maintained in every generating station, sub
station and switching station so as to be readily accessible
during all working hours.
Rule 44 Instructions for restoration of persons suffering
from electric shock. Instructions in English or Hindi and
local language for the restoration of persons suffering from
electric shock.
Rule 44A Intimation of Accident
If any accident occurs in connection with the generation,
transmission, supply or use of energy in or in connection with
any part of the electric supply lines or other works of any person
and the accident results is or is likely to have resulted is loss of
human or animal, such person or any authorized person of the
electricity board not below the rank of a J.E or equivalent shall
send a telegraphic report to Inspector within 24 hours.
Rule 46A Periodical Inspection and testing of
consumers’ installation
Where an installation is already connected to the supply system
of the supplier, every such installation shall be periodically
inspected and tested at intervals not exceeding five years either
by the Inspector or by the supplier, in the case of installation in
mines, oil fields and railways by the Central Government.
 Chapter V – General condition relating to supply and use of
energy
Rule 48 Precautions against leakage before connection
1. The supplier shall not connect supply unless he is reasonably
satisfied that the connection will not at any time cause a leakage
from that installation or apparatus of a magnitude detrimental to
safety.
2. Compliance with this rule shall be checked by measuring the
insulating resistance as provided below:
3. High voltage equipment's shall have the IR value as stipulated in
the relevant Indian Standard.
Rule 50 supply and use of energy
The following controls of requisite capacity to carry and break the
current after the point of commencement of supply as defined in
Rule 58.
1. A linked switch with fuse or a CB for low and medium volt
consumers.
2. CB for EHV consumer
3. The supply of energy to each motor or a group of motors or
other apparatus meant for operating one particular machine
in controlled by a suitable linked switch or a CB or an
emergency tripping device placed in such a position as to cut
off supply by the person in charge.
4. Adequate precautions shall be taken to ensure that no live
parts are so exposed as to cause danger.
Rule 54 Declared voltage of supply to
consumer.
The variation shall not vary
1. Low and medium voltage by more than 6%
2. High voltage more than 6% on higher side, 9% on lower side
3. EHV, 10% on higher side and 12.5% on lower side .
Rule 55 Declared frequency
A supplier shall not permit the frequency of an alternating current
supply to vary from the declared frequency by more than 3%.
 Chapter – VI Electric supply line, systems and
apparatus for low and medium voltage

Rule 61 connecting with earth

The following provisions shall apply to the connection with earth of
systems
1. Neutral conductor of a 3Ø 4 wire
2. Middle conductor of a 2Ø 3 wire system
shall be earthed by not less than two separate and distant connections
with a minimum of two different earth electrode. The earth
electrodes may be inter connected to reduce earth resistance
Rule 61 Earth leakage protective devices.
All earthing systems belonging to the supplier shall be tested for
resistance on dry day during dry season not less than once
every two years
The supply of energy to every electrical installation shall be
controlled by an earth leakage protective device as to
disconnect the supply instantly on the occurrence of earth
fault or leakage of current (>5KW loads).
Chapter VII Electric supply line, system apparatus for
high and extra high voltage
Rule 64A Additional provisions for use of energy at
high and extra high voltage
1. Inter locks
a. Isolator and Circuit Breaker
b. Isolator and earth switch

2. Protection : All the system and circuits shall be so protected as

to automatically disconnect the supply under abnormal
conditions.
a. Overcurrent, Earth fault for machines
b. Bucchholz relay 1000 KVA and above Transformer
c. Differential protection 10 MVA and above Transformer 1000 KVA
and above generators with differential
Rule 67 connection with earth
All non-current carrying metal parts associated with HV / EHV
installations shall be effectively earthed to a grounding system or
mat
Chapter VIII-OVERHEAD LINES
Rule 77 Clearance above ground of the lowest conductor
1. Over head line across the street
a. Low and medium voltage 5.8 mtr.
b. High voltage 6.1 mtr
2. Along the street
a. Low and medium voltage 5.5 mtr.
b. High voltage 5.8 mtr
Rule 78 clearance from building
Low voltage, medium voltage,
above roof 2.5 mtrs.
Horizontal clearance 1.2 mtrs.
High voltage upto 33 KV
above roof 3.7 mtrs.
Extra high voltage
above roof 3.7 mtr + 0.3 mtr for every addition of 33KV.
 Clearance Between Power And Telecom Lines
Minimum clearances between, lines of various voltages
LT lines (400 / 230 V) - 4 feet - 1.22 meter
11 kV lines - 6 feet - 1.83 meter
33 / 66 kV lines - 8 feet - 2.44 meter
132 kV lines - 10 feet - 3.05 meter
220 kV lines - 15 feet 4.88 meter
Note:-Guard rings are to be provided at crossings of telecom lines
with power lines upto 33 kV
Rule 88 Guarding
When overhead line crosses or is in proximity to another
overhead line, guarding arrangements shall be provided so as to
guard against the possibility of their coming in to contact with
each other.
Every guard wire shall be actual breaking strength of not less
than 635 kg.