CHANDIGARH, Oct. 14 -- The Punjab Transparency and Accountability Commission (PBTRAC) has taken serious note of 14,000 applications for electricity services that were left pending past their deadlines with Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) as of August 31. The commission has sought urgent intervention from the power department, directing it to review the backlog, strengthen supervisory monitoring, and fix responsibility for the delays. In a letter dated October 12, commission chief commissioner Vijay Kumar Janjua asked principal secretary, power, Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, to ensure that designated officers dispose of pending applications on priority and initiate action wherever officials have failed to meet statutory timelines. In its communication, Janjua cited PSPCL's management information system report for August, which recorded overdue applications across five notified services covered under the Punjab Transparency and Accountability in Delivery of Public Services Act, 2018. The commission said the pendency required immediate attention and appropriate supervisory monitoring. The biggest share of the backlog relates to the release of new electricity connections and approval of additional load or demand feasibility from the existing network. As many as 13,244 applications in this category had crossed the prescribed deadline, accounting for nearly 94% of the total overdue cases. The prescribed disposal period for this service is seven days for domestic supply and non-residential supply categories, and 15 days for other categories. The scale of the pendency raises questions about PSPCL's ability to meet its own notified timelines for a basic public utility service. The other overdue applications include 396 cases relating to low-tension power supply, for which the prescribed limit is 30 days; 259 applications for replacement of burnt meters, which must be completed within five days; 117 applications for no-objection certificates for releasing connections in colonies developed by promoters, builders, societies and residents' associations, with a 45-day deadline; and another 117 cases involving high-tension connections of 11,000 volts, also subject to a 45-day limit. The commission has pointed out that such delays run contrary to the objectives of the 2018 Act, which seeks to ensure transparency, accountability and time-bound delivery of notified public services. Prolonged delays in processing applications can inconvenience consumers and hold up access to essential electricity services. Janjua has instructed the principal secretary to direct all designated officers and departmental officials to review and prioritise the clearance of pending applications. The reasons for any delays must be documented, and all cases are to be monitored at the supervisory level. The commission has also called for immediate measures to ensure that all pending applications are cleared and that officials strictly adhere to the statutory timelines. It has pointed out that appellate authorities may initiate suo motu action where designated officers fail to dispose of applications within the prescribed period....