Irony was on full display on 13 June 2026. Just hours after lecturing school students on the importance of rational thinking and how to identify and debunk false narratives online, former DMK MLA Dr Ezhilan seemed to be doing precisely the opposite.
The former legislator, who on Saturday addressed students at Fatima Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Kodambakkam on rational thinking, conceptual reading, debunking digital false narratives and misinformation.
He later shared two screenshots of TANGEDCO electricity bill calculation sheets of what he claimed were electricity bills under DMK and TVK, and wrote, “Frequent power cuts… High electricity bills… New era… a ‘good’ change. From Rs 1,742 to Rs 2,880”
The post quickly gained attention as it compared a bill amount of ₹1,742 with another bill amount of ₹2,880, creating the impression that electricity tariffs had sharply risen following the change in government.
However, a closer examination of the documents shared by Ezhilan reveals that the two bills were calculated based on entirely different levels of electricity consumption.
What The Screenshots Actually Show
The first screenshot, labelled by Ezhilan as being under the DMK government, was calculated for a consumption of 490 units during the billing cycle. Under the slab structure applicable at the time, the consumer was charged:
- 101–200 units: ₹235
- 201–400 units: ₹940
- 401–490 units: ₹567
Total Bill: ₹1,742
The second screenshot, presented as being under the TVK government, was calculated for a consumption of 600 units, resulting in:
- 101–400 units: ₹1,410
- 401–500 units: ₹630
- 501–600 units: ₹840
Total Bill: ₹2,880
Thus, the two bills reflected different electricity consumption levels – 490 units versus 600 units making a direct comparison misleading.
Official Clarification From TANGEDCO
TANGEDCO has already issued a clarification explaining that confusion has arisen because the two bills are based on different consumption levels and different subsidy structures.
According to the clarification, prior to the revised subsidy scheme, electricity charges were calculated based on a consumption of 490 units.
After the implementation of the 200-unit free electricity subsidy, the comparison bill was calculated for 600 units.
Consumers are required to compare bills for the same level of consumption to understand the actual impact of the revised tariff structure.
The official breakdown further shows that for a consumer usin g 490 units, the bill under the revised TVK rule would actually be ₹1,507, compared to ₹1,742 under the earlier DMK-era cculation – a reduction of ₹235.
நுகர்வோர்களின் கவனத்திற்கு : இந்த இரு மின் கட்டணங்களும் இரு வேறு மின் பயன்பாட்டை கொண்டு கணக்கிடப்பட்டுள்ளது.
புதிய 200 யூனிட் மானிய உத்தரவிற்கு (New 200 Free Units Subsidy) முன் 490 யூனிட்களும், அதற்குப் பின் 600 யூனிட்களும் கொண்டு மின்கட்டணம் கணக்கிடப்பட்டுள்ளது
இதை முழுமையாக… pic.twitter.com/cIYEd6PNCv
— TANGEDCO Official (@TANGEDCO_Offcl) June 13, 2026
For consumers using 600 units, both the DMK and TVK calculations amount to ₹2,880, indicating no change in the bill amount at that consumption level.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the controversy is the irony itself. A speech on rational thinking, conceptual reading and identifying false narratives was followed by a social media post critics say ignored those very principles. As the facts behind the bills emerged, Ezhilan’s lesson to students appeared to boomerang back on him.
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