In Ayn Rand's Anthem, free will was not an option just like it wasn't in the Garden of Eden. But this doesn't stop Equality 7-2521 from going off on his own and discovering electricity, just as Eve took a fruit from the Tree of Knowledge.These acts were considered selfish acts and were frowned upon as a sin. Neither Adam and Eve nor Equality 7-2521 thought of the consequences of sinning and just did what they wanted to do. This obviously was not going to go unpunished.
As a punishment, Equality 7-2521 was not granted his discovery by the Council of Scholars because it did not benifit the 'we' of the society and was discovered in private so Equality 7-2521 was in the wrong. The punishment for Adam and Eve was far worse for they were banished from the Garden of Eden and forced to live on their own without God. In Anthem, living without the Council of Scholars was going to be a good thing for Equality 7-2521 because he did not have to follow what they had said and he could live with free will. However Adam and Eve were not so lucky because instead they would live completely unprotected and on their own. Not only were Adam and Eve kicked out of the Garden of Eden but since Eve was the one who tempted Adam, she was punished with birth of children. These consequences were very severe but were completely neccesary.
You could also compare how the Council of Scholars resembles God in Anthem and how they did not stop Equality 7-2521 from going into the Uncharted Forest as a form of banishment from their 'great' city. But as my own opinion, I believe that the Council of Scholars and God are not alike for the huge fact of God was keeping free will to himself to protect Adam and Eve but the council only wanted to keep the rest of the world hidden from them and have a corrupt society of 'robots.' The views of the Council of Scholars were completely different from God's but in other ways they were similar. Like how God said not to eat the fruit and the Council of Scholars...