People could be sentenced up to a year in jail and fined up to BD2,000 ($5268) if they have improper unstandardised electrical appliances or illegal unauthorised connections.

Parliament will vote during Tuesday's session on a government-drafted amendment to the electricity and water law, originally proposed by parliament, that would see such offences considered as crimes, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

Under the amendments, recommended by parliament's public utilities and environment affairs committee, jail sentences will be between three months and a year, or a fine between BD1,000 and BD2,000, or both.

If the offence is repeated then the jail term doubles to be between six months and two years, the fine between BD2,000 and BD4,000, or both.

The ministry concerned will be given the right to issue on-the-spot fines for offences committed per resident in homes that have non-related family members or labour camps of five or more.

In the case of violation, the Energy and Water Authority has the right to immediately cut power, with it also applying to those who miss bill payment deadlines.